Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Matthew Labyorteaux | ... | Paul Conway (as Matthew Laborteaux) | |
Kristy Swanson | ... | Samantha Pringle | |
Michael Sharrett | ... | Tom 'Slime' Toomey | |
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Anne Twomey | ... | Jeannie Conway |
Anne Ramsey | ... | Elvira Parker | |
Richard Marcus | ... | Harry Pringle | |
Russ Marin | ... | Dr. Johanson | |
Lee Paul | ... | Sergeant Volchek | |
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Andrew Roperto | ... | Carl |
Charles Fleischer | ... | BB (voice) | |
Robin Nuyen | ... | Thief | |
Frank Cavestani | ... | Angry Resident | |
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Merritt Olsen | ... | CAT Scan Technician |
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William H. Faeth | ... | Doctor in Sam's Room (as William H. Faeth M.D.) |
Joel Hile | ... | Deputy |
Paul Conway and his mother Jeannie Conway travel to a new town where Paul will join the local university invited by Dr. Johanson. They bring the robot BB that was developed by Paul, who is a genius in robotics. Paul befriends the paperboy, Tom Toomey, and has a crush on his next door neighbor, Samantha Pringle, whose abusive alcoholic father Harry Pringle frequently hurts her. One day, Paul, Sam, Tom and BB are playing basketball and the ball falls in the field of their paranoid grumpy neighbor Elvira Parker who won't give it back to the teenagers. On Halloween, Tom convinces Paul to let BB open the padlock of the entrance to Elvira's house. However, there is an alarm system and Elvira blows up BB with her shotgun. Then Harry pushes his daughter down the stairs, and the doctors leave her brain-dead connected to life support. However, Paul convinces Tom to go to the hospital to rescue Sam, and then he implants BB's chip into her brain, resurrecting Samantha. But will she come back to ... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A super intelligent teenage whiz revives the love of his life with a chip that used to belong to his robot pal BB. But things don't go all that smoothly as his creation proves to have homicidal tendencies.
Is the film weird? You bet. Is it silly? Yeah, kind of. Is it hokey? Definitely. Is it entertaining? Surprisingly Yes.
The film is probably as close as you can get to family oriented graphic horror. The characters are not only well acted but extremely likable and that takes the film a long way. Matthew L something brings warmth and charm to his role and his relationship with his mom is cute and wholly believable. Kristy Swanson is pure delight as his "girl next door love" and her robotic moves are surprisingly well executed. Like in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Wes Craven is able to create characters who you actually give a damn about and that's what makes this silly premise actually work.
The film is pretty funny at times and the graphic horror is sure to delight gore hounds. The basketball scene alone is outstanding. For the most part Deadly Friend is more actual fun than suspenseful, although it does have a few well timed shocks.
All in all; A nice effort from Craven. Pretty inventive and overcomes it's weaknesses by being just a plain old fun flick.