The Dream Team (1989)

Four mental patients on a field trip in New York City must save their caring chaperon, who ends up being taken to a hospital in a coma after accidentally witnessing a murder, before the killers can find him and finish the job.

Director:

Howard Zieff

Writers:

Jon Connolly, David Loucka

Stars:

Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Keaton	...	Billy Caufield
Christopher Lloyd	...	Henry Sikorsky
Peter Boyle	...	Jack McDermott
Stephen Furst	...	Albert Ianuzzi
Dennis Boutsikaris	...	Dr. Weitzman
Lorraine Bracco	...	Riley
Milo O'Shea	...	Dr. Newald
Philip Bosco	...	O'Malley
James Remar	...	Gianelli
Jack Gilpin	...	Dr. Talmer
MacIntyre Dixon	...	Dr. Verboven
Michael Lembeck	...	Ed
Bill Goffi	...	Singer / Accordionist
Jack Duffy	...	Bernie
Brad Sullivan	...	Sgt. Vincente

Storyline

Dr. Weitzman works with patients in a sanitarium. Convinced that all that his "group" needs is a some fresh air and some time away from the sanitarium, he persuades the administration to allow him to take them to a ballgame. Unfortunately, he accidentally stumbles across a crime in progress and ends up in hospital. The group is stranded in New York City, forced to cope with a place which is often more bizarre than their sanitarium.

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Plot Keywords:

mental patient | murder | murder witness | mental institution | mental illness | 

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Taglines:

This morning they were playing ping-pong in the hospital rec room. Now they're lost in New York and framed for murder. This was never covered in group therapy.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

The place in New York City where the dream team mental patients ran through the rain covered under a gigantic oblong cardboard box was Times Square.

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Goofs

Jack claims that Leviticus 5:14 says: "Call not for a doctor, but an elder of the church," but the actual verse is: "The LORD spoke to Moses." The verse he quotes, or more or less paraphrases is James 5:14, which reads as follows: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."

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Quotes

Billy: All I'm saying's let's stretch that clothing dollar!
Bernie: How much stretch we talkin' about?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Dream Team/Sing/Troop Beverly Hills/Crusoe/Powwow Highway (1989)

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Soundtracks

Nighttime
Written by Ron 'Diego' Johnston
Performed by Diego's Diner
Courtesy of Drivin' Records

User Reviews

Better than expected

Funny comedy about a group of mental patients who take a trip to the big city under the supervision of their doctor, and wind up being framed for a murder they didn't commit. Far-fetched and far from great, but made enjoyable by a few funny fish-out-of-water/mistaken-identity sequences and the spirited performances by Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd and Peter Boyle: all three of whom, it may be noted, seem to have lost their careers in recent time...but were at the top of their games during the era and are certainly at home here in a film that is never quite as good as it could be but is nevertheless a whole lot better than I ever expected it would be.

I like the beginning sequence with Ray Charles' "Hit the Road Jack" over the credits. I don't know why - maybe because I saw it years ago and it's just stuck with me - but I always think of this when I picture the film in my head.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Dream Team

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,704,860, 9 April 1989

Gross USA:

$28,890,240

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$28,890,240

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1