Tommy Boy (1995)

After his auto-parts tycoon father dies, the overweight, underachieving son teams up with a snide accountant to try and save the family business.

Director:

Peter Segal

Writers:

Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner

Stars:

Chris Farley, David Spade, Brian Dennehy

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris Farley	...	Tommy
David Spade	...	Richard
Brian Dennehy	...	Big Tom
Bo Derek	...	Beverly
Dan Aykroyd	...	Zalinsky
Julie Warner	...	Michelle
Sean McCann	...	Frank Rittenhauer
Zach Grenier	...	Ted Reilly
James Blendick	...	Ron Gilmore
Clinton Turnbull	...	Young Tommy
Ryder Britton	...	Young Richard
Paul Greenberg	...	Skittish Student
Graeme Millington	...	Frat Boy
Michael Cram	...	Frat Boy
Dean Marshall	...	Frat Boy

Storyline

Tommy Callahan Jr. is a slow-witted, clumsy guy who recently graduated college after attending for seven years. His father, Big Tom Callahan, owns an auto parts factory in Ohio. When Tommy arrives back home, he finds he has a position at the factory waiting for him. His dad also introduces Tommy to the new brake pad division of the factory and to Tommy's soon-to-be stepmother, Beverly, and her son Paul. But when Big Tom dies, the factory threatens to go under unless the new brake pads are to be sold. Therefore, Tommy must go on the road to sell them, along with the assistance of Richard, Big Tom's right-hand man. Will Tommy save the company, or will the factory, and the town, go under?

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | nickname as title | reference to buddy hackett | on the road | con artist | 

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Taglines:

If at first you don't succeed, lower your standards.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor, some drug content and nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 March 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fat Chance

Filming Locations:

BCE Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,027,843, 2 April 1995

Gross USA:

$32,679,899

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$32,679,899

Company Credits

Production Co:

Broadway Pictures, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Chris Farley wanted one of his two Saturday Night Live (1975) co-stars David Spade or Adam Sandler for the role of Richard. Sandler however, was already shooting Billy Madison (1995) around that time and Spade got the role.

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Goofs

When Tommy is backing up the car at the gas station, the door is open about one foot. Just before the door is torn off, it is wide open.

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Quotes

Tommy: Richard, were you watching Spank-travision?
Richard Hayden: Okay let's get some shut eye.
Tommy: Maybe you were watching a movie with that funny comedian, oh what's his name? Buddy Whackett?

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Crazy Credits

Rob Lowe is mentioned on video covers, but remains uncredited on-screen.

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Alternate Versions

The UK cinema version was cut by 9 secs for a PG certificate to edit shots of a woman pulling down her bikini and the sound of a man unzipping his flies. Later releases were uncut and upgraded to a 12 certificate.

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Connections

Referenced in In Search of Santa (2004)

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Soundtracks

Maniac
By Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky
Performed by Chris Farley

User Reviews

Great Comedy Everyone Needs to See

This is a comedy in which Thomas 'Tommy' Callahan III (Chris Farley) who is a slow-witted, clumsy guy who recently graduated college after attending for seven years. His father, Thomas 'Big Tom' Callahan II (Brian Dennehy), owns an auto parts factory in Ohio. When Tommy arrives back home, he finds he has a position at the factory waiting for him. His dad also introduces Tommy to the new brake pad division of the factory and to Tommy's soon-to-be stepmother, Beverly Barish-Burns (Bo Derek), and her supposed son Paul Barish (Rob Lowe). But when Big Tom dies, the factory threatens to go under unless the new brake pads are to be sold. Therefore, Tommy must go on the road to sell them, along with the assistance of Richard Hayden (David Spade), Big Tom's right-hand man. Beverly and Paul who are con artists and also husband and wife who try to con Tommy and his family out of the company's money. Tommy and Richard travel all over the Midwestern United States trying to sell a half a million brake pads. If they don't sell the half a million brake pads, the company will be sold to Ray Zalinsky (Dan Aykroyd). This movie is full of great laughs and everybody will enjoy it. If Chris Farley was alive today, I bet there would be many more great and funny movies like this one. There are plenty of great passages that I hear everyday from this movie. I have seen it so many times I have lost count. I pretty much know it by heart. It is that great of a movie. Everybody needs to see it.