Gprime1318

My girlfriend and I had a movie night recently in which we watched the critically (and audience)acclaimed Black Swan, Jackass 3 and this. I bought it mostly because I heard it had some A listers in early rolls and I enjoy trying to point out future stars before my girlfriend can recognize them.

I'm sure I would be mercilessly attacked for saying this on a Black Swan board -or even a Jackass board for that matter- but we both chose My Boyfriend's Back as easily our favourite of the three. Sure it was stupid, but after the dark, serious feel of Black Swan, it's silly, goofy tone was all the more appealing. Andrew Lowery is quite likable in the lead, and Traci Lind is lovely in a roll that was likely quite difficult to play. Her character was required to show some very serious emotions in a very unserious movie, and she seemed to walk the line between them admirably.

The supporting cast was a joy, without fail they understood the script's oddball, offbeat humour and really ran with it. The scene stealing Mary Beth Hurt was a stand out as Lowery's too understanding mother, and Cloris Leachman was excellent in a small, rather thankless cameo. Celebrity watchers will find plenty to keep them busy here as well. A young Matthew Fox (future star of Lost)makes his film debut; Oscar winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays his loathsome sidekick;as well as Edward Herrmann and Austin Pendelton(from HBO's Oz, not to mention countless other films and TV shows); character actor Paul Dooley; JFK's Jay O' Sanders; and even Matthew McConaughey makes his film debut as Guy in Movie Theatre.

Perhaps this means I don't have any future as a film critic, but I was really surprised that both of us enjoyed a low budget flick with a rating under 5 and less than two thousand votes hands down over a 13 million dollar movie with 100,000+ votes and a rating over 8.

I guess my point in all this is that you really can't judge a movie based on the general consensus about it. Had I dismissed this movie because of it's low approval among both critics and IMDb user's (as I normally would have), we really would have missed out on a sweet, irreverent little hidden gem. When selecting a movie, don't just check the star rating or critic approval percentage, but scan the fan reviews as well and see if any really speak to you. You just might end up turning a rather uninspired date night into an unexpected last minute success.

This was a well animated, good natured bit of early 80's fluff that received so many viewings between my sister and I that the tape eventually snapped. Long forgotten, this animated special never the less contains some great work from Jerry Orbach and stage veteran Ellen Greene heading a fine casting of voice actors. It's evident some hard work was put into this production; it more than holds up to most of what's being produced today in the slap/bang world of children's animation. If by some small miracle you run across a copy of this, by all means pick it up. The kids will love it and their parents -especially children of the 80's- can enjoy a blast of sweet nostalgia.

I have been searching for this movie for years after seeing it on late night television in the early 90's, with no luck. After learning it only received 84 votes on IMDb, i realized why... no one has seen the damn thing! So, I feel it is my duty to recommend this unique and unforgettable film to anyone who may stumble across it in the wasteland that is cable or the dusty old drama section of mom and pop video stores.

If only I could remember more about it! Certain scenes have stayed with me for years, while others have unfortunately faded with the passage of time. I remember young Lucas Haas and his horror at discovering his beloved pet rabbit has eaten her young, as well as his relationship with a deranged stranger who may or may not be his father. Along, with a few other scenes, these are the only things I can remember specifically about the movie.

Regardless, I stand by my original statement that this is quite a memorable film. What I have not forgotten, nor am I likely to, is the heart wrenching tone of the movie. The acting is excellent, and Haas especially is mesmerizing. You feel very strongly for these characters, which makes the films bleak atmosphere even more involving.

I saw this movie once, more than ten years ago, and even then it was edited for television. Still, it has stuck with me, and if that isn't a sign of great film-making, I don't know what is. I give it an eight, simply because I cannot remember it in it's entirety, preventing me from giving it a 10, which I suspect it deserves.

If anyone finds it, please give it a try and let me know what you think. I would love to know if this film really is as remarkable as I remember it to be.