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IMDbPro

Better Off Dead...

  • 19851985
  • PGPG
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
47K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,619
130
John Cusack in Better Off Dead... (1985)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:29
1 Video
99+ Photos
ComedyRomance
After his girlfriend ditches him for a boorish ski jock, Lane decides that suicide is the only answer. However, his increasingly inept attempts bring him only more agony and embarrassment. F... Read allAfter his girlfriend ditches him for a boorish ski jock, Lane decides that suicide is the only answer. However, his increasingly inept attempts bring him only more agony and embarrassment. Filled with the wildest teen nightmares.After his girlfriend ditches him for a boorish ski jock, Lane decides that suicide is the only answer. However, his increasingly inept attempts bring him only more agony and embarrassment. Filled with the wildest teen nightmares.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
47K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,619
130
  • Director
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Writer
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • David Ogden Stiers
    • Kim Darby
  • Director
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Writer
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • David Ogden Stiers
    • Kim Darby
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 225User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro

    • Videos1

    Better Off Dead
    Trailer 1:29
    Watch Better Off Dead

    Photos134

    John Cusack in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    John Cusack in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Diane Franklin in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Kim Darby and Laura Waterbury in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Elizabeth Daily in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Diane Franklin in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Demian Slade in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Curtis Armstrong in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    David Ogden Stiers in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Elizabeth Daily in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Diane Franklin and Laura Waterbury in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Yuji Okumoto in Better Off Dead... (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Lane Meyer
    David Ogden Stiers
    David Ogden Stiers
    • Al Meyer
    Kim Darby
    Kim Darby
    • Jenny Meyer
    Demian Slade
    Demian Slade
    • Johnny Gasparini
    Scooter Stevens
    • Badger Meyer
    Diane Franklin
    Diane Franklin
    • Monique Junot
    Laura Waterbury
    Laura Waterbury
    • Mrs. Smith
    Dan Schneider
    • Ricky Smith
    • (as Daniel Schneider)
    Yuji Okumoto
    Yuji Okumoto
    • Yee Sook Ree
    Brian Imada
    • Chen Ree
    Chuck Mitchell
    Chuck Mitchell
    • Rocko
    Amanda Wyss
    Amanda Wyss
    • Beth Truss
    Curtis Armstrong
    Curtis Armstrong
    • Charles De Mar
    Aaron Dozier
    • Roy Stalin
    Frank Burt Avalon
    • Roy's Ski Buddy #1
    Joe W. Davis
    • Roy's Ski Buddy #2
    • (as J. Warren Davis)
    Peter Ellenstein
    • Roy's Ski Buddy #3
    Vincent Schiavelli
    Vincent Schiavelli
    • Mr. Kerber
    • Director
      • Savage Steve Holland
    • Writer
      • Savage Steve Holland
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

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    6.7
    Pretty in Pink

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Savage Steve Holland, the film is mostly autobiographical. Holland really was suicidal when his high school girlfriend left him for captain of the ski team. Also, he really did have a paperboy named Johnny Gasparini who would harass him for two dollars. According to Holland, when the film came out, the ex-girlfriend contacted him to apologize.
    • Goofs
      At the final race, the race official signals Lane to go first. The official then sends Roy 5 seconds later, thus suggesting that the race is based on time. Lane beats Roy by only a fraction of a second. Therefore, Roy had the better time and should have won the race.
    • Quotes

      Paperboy: Two dollars!

    • Crazy credits
      The last line of the credits reads The film's over... you can go now.
    • Alternate versions
      Network TV/HBO versions include two additional shots at the end of the film, one being a wide angle shot of the baseball stadium, and the other being a close up shot of Monique and Lane kissing together. Because of the deletion of these shots, the music and sound effects on the current video release are not synchronized with the picture.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Better Off Dead/The Journey of Natty Gann/Commando (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do
      Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
      Performed by Neil Sedaka
      Courtesy of RCA Records

    User reviews225

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Funny movie!
    This one's hilarious! My family have borrowed several lines from this film and use them as inside jokes. John Cusak stars in this film about a teenager whose girlfriend dumps him for the Captain of the ski team. The film has enough skiing in it to satisfy most ski buffs, but it's not really about skiing. It's about relationships more than anything and the results are absolutely hilarious. This is destined to be a classic and it's a permanent part of my film library.
    helpful•17
    8
    • grahamsj3
    • Dec 20, 2002

    FAQ2

    • If John Cusack was so mad at Savage Steve Holland over this film, why did he work with him again in One Crazy Summer?
    • Why does the paper boy keep showing up and demanding two dollars from Lane?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 11, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Better Off Dead
    • Filming locations
      • Alta, Utah, USA
    • Production companies
      • CBS Entertainment Productions
      • A&M Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $10,297,601
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $56,371
      • Aug 25, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,297,601
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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