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 Let
us start by just saying the obvious – John Cusack is awesome. He was
awesome in the 80s, and he is awesome now. It is hard to say how I would
feel about Better Off Dead had it not starred John Cusack, but I am pretty
sure I would still love it. It is hilarious. It has so many great elements
and characters. Some classic lines that remain in general usage (ok, at
least among the folks I know) such as “I want my TWO DOLLARS!” serve as
further examples of the complete awesomeness of this 80s flick. |
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It is rumored that John Cusack hated the movie, but that's beside the
point. We must simply thank John for making it and making it so good and
let it rest at that. The rest of us loved it. Why? So many reasons -- let
us count the ways.
Some of us (mostly
girls) loved it because John Cusack was in it (ok, so we already covered
that, but it is a point worth mentioning again). Others loved it because
no matter how bad off your life was, seeing someone as miserable as Lane (Cusack's
character) had a way of making you feel better about yourself. After all,
the guy loses his girlfriend to a total jerk, fails at suicide (more than
once), is humiliated repeatedly in red- light drag races by the Howard
Cossell wanna-bes, and out-skied by his rival (Roy Statlin played by Aaron
Dozier), finding himself unable to ski the formidable K-12. Add in a rabid
paper boy who chased Lane down for the outstanding $2.00, his awful job at
a greasy hamburger place, his well-meaning but completely crazy mother
along with a mandatory date with his dad’s partner’s headgear-wearing
daughter, and you got the makings of a pretty bleak existence.
Happily,
Lane is not without some bright spots in his life. He has a good friend in
Charles ‘Booger” Da Mar (so desperate for a high that he snorts the snow
off a mountain). A French foreign exchange student, Monique, moves into
town (and happens to be staying with Lane's slightly unstable but
hilarious neighbors). While Lane and Monique work on the restoration of
Lane’s vintage 1967 Camaro (BTW- the story of this actual car, its present
owner and restoration is fascinating – read it here:
http://www.betteroffdeadcamaro.com/index.html?finished.html~fright),
they grow close and he eventually sees his shallow ex-girlfriend Beth for
what she really is. Heck, he even gets the better of the rabid paperboy
and out-skis Roy Statlin on the K-12. In the end, his ex-girlfriend sees
Lane in a new light and wants him back. How sweet is the final scene when
he gets not only the hot French exchange student but is able to reject the
ex that had so crushed him. Good prevails; all is right once again with
the world.
Better Off Dead is a cult
classic and has a loyal following. After all, with comedy, adventure and
love, what's not to like? It even has some Howard Jones on the
soundtrack; it is truly the complete package. And then there is always the
fact that if someone as sad and pathetic as Lane can come out on top,
can't we all?
Looking for an 80s costume idea for
Halloween or an upcoming 80s party? Check out the
Lane Meyer costume here.
