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 | road movie | zodiac sign | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Bo Derek's character comes out of the pool, Tommy says to Big Tom (Brian Dennehy), "Whoa, dad. She's like a... ten!" Derek and Dennehy both appeared in 10 (1979).

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Goofs

When Richard's hair blows at Zalinsky's headquarters, he pushes his toupee back onto his head, and it's all ruffled and out of place. In the next shot it is back to normal.

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Quotes

Tommy: Hey, what's your name?
Helen: Helen.
Tommy: That's nice, you look like a Helen. Helen, we're both in sales. Let me tell you why I suck as a sales man. Let's say I go into a guy's office, let's say he's even remotely interested in buying something. Well then I get all excited. I'm like Jojo the idiot circus boy with a pretty new pet.
[Reaches down and picks up a dinner roll]
Tommy: Now the pet is my possible sale. Hello there pretty little pet, I love you. And then I stoke it, and I pet it, and I massage it. Hehe I love...
[...]

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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

Spoofs Flashdance (1983)

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Soundtracks

Call On Me
By Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, and Robert Young
Performed by Primal Scream
Courtesy of Sire Records/Creation Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

The second hardest I ever laughed at a theater.

I won't go into great details about this film, basically because there aren't many worth mentioning. It's just a funny little romp with Farley and Spade annoying each other and trying to sell some brake pads in their spare time.

I must however say that one scene almost had me on the sticky floor of the theater because I was laughing so hard. In the scene, the duo are driving down a highway in Spade's recently trashed GTX. An old Carpenters song is playing on the radio and the two are emotionally singing along with it. That alone is funny enough, then the hood of the car pops up and they skid wildly out of control. This produces a hilarious argument culminating in Spade smacking Farley in the head with a 2x4.

The only time I have ever laughed harder in public was during the snowman scene in Dumb and Dumber.

That's really all I have to say about this film. Farley was an adorable slug of a guy. I miss him, even though some of his films were real stinkers.

I'd give it 8 of 10 stars.

So sayeth the Hound.

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA Canada

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