As far as 80s comedies go, this is definitely among the worst ones ever, with inept and lousy writing that breaks the ecstatic barrier! Mister Ed would've taken a bad rap through this excrusiating rip-off of talking animal movies and TV shows. Notice how the mouth of Don The Horse doesn't synchronize well with John Candy's voiceover. The children's audience was what the studio hoped for, and just what is the meaning of all the flatulent jokes and improper language? Make no mistakes, because this is the perfect substitute for Mucilage that comes in handy whenever the afterlife doesn't stick. Or worse, stinks, depending on how you felt over the dreadful HOT TO TROT. There are better things to do, like cleaning up after the horses in the barn.
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emm16 April 1999
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JohnSeal18 January 2000They ARE funny, right? Otherwise this film would never have been greenlighted, right? And Burgess Meredith worked for scale and no screen credit because he really BELIEVED in this project, right? Be that as it may, Hot To Trot was another bad career move by Bobcat Goldthwait, one of the most underrated comedians of recent years. And needless to say, it's not very funny, though it's perfectly harmless and will probably amuse the under 12 set.
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lee_eisenberg15 December 2021One might interpret Michael Dinner's "Hot to Trot" as a mockery of the corporate world, with Dabney Coleman essentially recreating his role from "9 to 5". Whether or not it got intended like that, it's mostly a silly comedy, as the protagonist's equine friend plays tricks on the company. Not the most original story. It should entertain the under-twelve crowd.
I would've liked to see John Candy get to branch out from this (his roles in Oliver Stone's "JFK" and Michael Moore's "Canadian Bacon" notwithstanding). Co-star Cindy Pickett is best known as the mom in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". -
dystempted22 July 2003why anyone would choose to watch this movie and then turn around and complain about how awful it is baffles me. you're given a silly title, Hot to Trot, Bobcat Goldthwait as a star, and a blurb mentioning a talking horse. how could this movie NOT be utterly stupid? of COURSE it is stupid! and that's why it's great! sure, the jokes are juvenile and rather stupid, though in my opinion there are a few zingers in there (how is a three-stoogie horse humping a Volvo NOT funny?) but sometimes that's what you want to watch: utter stupidity. this movie succeeds as a brainless comedy with easy to grasp humor and blatant...stupidity! i sincerely doubt it ever tried to be more than just that. so, for what it is, it's a huge success, and if you want to sit back and not think and enjoy an 80s flavored 80 minutes with a talking horse and an annoying guy whose jockey pants are too tight, then by all means, i highly highly recommend this movie. if you're too uptight to relax and enjoy it on some level, then yeah, skip it. i've personally seen it at least 20 times since it opened in theaters when i was 9 years old, it's in my video collection and a favorite to pop in when i'm sick, cleaning or trying to get someone to laugh and feel silly, and yeah it sits surrounded by films by the likes of Wim Wenders and Jeunet, above The Seventh Seal and to the right of Dr. Strangelove.
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mark.waltz14 May 2021Not quite Mr. Ed, as Don the horse tells Fred the Dead that Mr. Ed was dubbed, but then again, so is Don the con the horse. John Candy provides the voice of Don, the horse that Bobcat Goldthwait's father bought and left entrusted to Fred. Now Fred's mother is dead and his stepfather, Dabney Coleman, in another stereotypical villain role, has kicked him out and negotiated with him a small share of the estate.
It's up to Don to aid Fred in succeeding in the stock market, so if you can make it through the 90 minutes of Bobcat's ultra annoying voice, you might find one or two things that are remotely funny. The one thing that I did find funny was the voice of Burgess Meredith as Candy's dad, making horse cultural references and adding the only real touch of class that this film has.
Lambasted as one of the worst films of 1988, it hasn't even entered into the Hall of Fame of classic '80s bombs like "Howard the Duck" and "Ishtar". But, it is equally as bad and possibly even worse, so under promoted at the time that even bad reviews couldn't give it notoriety. The film is loud and unfunny and pointless. In fact, an unclean stable would be preferable to sleep in then have to endure this again. -
IonicBreezeMachine23 April 2022Following the death of his mother, Fred P. Chaney (Bobcat Goldthwait) is willed a horse and half a brokerage firm with the other half controlled by Fred's unfaithful stepfather Walter Sawyer (Dabney Coleman). Kicked out of the house by Walter and his mistress, Fred heads to the stable to clear his head and discovers the horse willed to him, named Don (voiced by John Candy), can talk. Initially freaked out by this development, Fred reassess the situation when Don gives him a winning stock tip making Fred an overnight success. But as Fred's success grows, so too does Walter's desire to take down Fred.
Released in 1988, Hot to Trot credited to sitcom writer Stephen Neigher, one time writer Hugo Gilbert, and writer of mediocre comedies Charlie Peters of Paternity and Blame it on Rio, had been in stalled development at Warner Bros. Since at least the mid-80s. After his directorial success of Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Warner Bros. Attempted to offer the film as a directing vehicle for Tim Burton who turned down the offer in favor of Beetlejuice. The movie was then rewritten as a vehicle for Joan Rivers as the lead before Rivers dropped out and the role was changed back to male with Bobcat Goldthwait taking the lead. The movie was beset by bad test screenings with Elliot Gould, the original voice of Don the Talking Horse, dropped from the movie and recast with John Candy and uncredited re-writes by future creator of TV series Monk Andy Breckman in the hopes the film could be made funnier, with Candy often ignoring the script and going for improvisation. The movie was released in the late August dumping ground of 1988 where it opened at number 10 and was pulled from theaters after a two week run making $6 million against its $9 million budget. While the movie was nominated for worst picture at the Golden Raspberry Awards it lost to Tom Cruise vehicle Cocktail. While Cocktail may not be a good movie, Cocktail at least IS a movie unlike Hot to Trot which is 80 minutes of annoyance and stupidty that's held together with duct tape and hope.
Even if we were to pretend for a minute that the novelty of talking equine hadn't been long run into the ground with 6 seasons of Mr. Ed and 7 installments of the film series Francis the Talking Mule, the movie has the very obvious problem of positioning Bobcat Goldthwait as its lead. Just so there's no confusion, I think Goldthwait CAN be funny, his supporting work in Scrooged was quite good and he's shown himself to be a capable writer/director with works like World's Greatest Dad or God Bless America, but Golthwait works only in a supporting or creative capacity. Goldthwait is incredibly obnoxious in this anorexically thin movie and has been directed to yell and scream at the top of his lungs every other scene with overly zippy music often accompanied by "zany" cartoon sound effects. But it's not like Goldthwait is the only poor performer here, the usually reliable John Candy gives an incredibly obnoxious vocal performance as the voice of Don the Talking Horse and poor Dabney Coleman wears exaggerated glasses and a uncomfortable looking mouthpiece that's frankly embarrassing to look at. The script is absolutely abysmal with the joke's not even coming to the level of a TV sitcom let alone a movie and there's clear signs that the movie has been hacked to pieces in a vain attempt to salvage something from it, but this was a foregone conclusion that no amount of editing could save unless you chucked the whole thing in the trash and called it a day.
Hot to Trot is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It's a movie that's equal parts stupid and obnoxious and only serves as an endurance test for how much you're able to tolerate brazen stupidity and contempt for the audience masquerading as entertainment. Why producers thought this would be a viable concept is baffling beyond belief. -
I was dragged to see this movie by a friend who trains Standardbred racehorses. All she knew about it was the title and the fact that it was about a Standardbred racehorse. I think she envisioned something along the lines of "The Black Stallion" or "National Velvet" or "Misty of Chincoteague" or something.
"Who is Bobcat Goldthwait?" she asked me. I didn't know.
Well, by the end of the movie we knew: Bobcat Goldthwait is the most annoying stupid awful rotten bad comedic would-be actor we'd ever seen. He's a warning to potential moviegoers: if you see his name associated with a movie in ANY capacity, avoid, avoid! This movie is not about Standardbred horses or horse racing. It is not about anything that any sensible sentient intelligent person can make any sense about. It purports to be a comedy, but it's so far from funny that it's almost an anti-comedy.
And Goldthwait... my god, is it possible for any human being anywhere to deliberately contrive a more whiny, affected, unintelligible voice and persona? My friend and I both wanted to slap him. Wanted?!? I mean we still want to slap him, even years after we saw this mess! Given how much money that it costs to make a movie, the question my friend and I both had when we left the theater was: how on earth did this movie get green-lighted, and should people who waste money making garbage like this be allowed out without a keeper? (Our answer was "NO!") See this movie at your own peril. You'll emerge from watching it numb with boredom, dazed and confused, and with the agony of Goldthwait's voice ringing in your ears for hours afterwards.
Better yet, if anyone suggests you see this mess, jump up and knock them unconscious and lock them up for their own protection. They need HELP. -
Jeope!24 September 1999No! No! No! Don't view this slop if it's the last available rental at the video store. Infact, "Hot to Trot" is an insult to the talents, however large or small (whichever it may be, you decide), of everyone involved. You can be rest assured that (1) John Candy will be forever rolling in his grave contemplating the merits of having his voice used in this clunker, (2) the poor horse is rolling in its own equine grave wondering if it had been better off in a glue factory, and (3) Bobcat Goldthwait will be rolling in his grave, once he has one arranged, wondering if this is to be a crowning acheivement in his film resume. This is by far the poorest thing I have ever seen put on screen, and will remain so, I am positive, until I am rolling in my own grave. What a load of pus. Sincerely.
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Mr-Fusion9 March 2016When it comes right down to it, my love for "Hot to Trot" stems from childhood. That's the best way to put it. I watched this movie all the time on HBO as a kid, and I loved it. And what makes this stand up today (for me) is that I find even more humor as an adult in John Candy's performance. He's what makes this movie so damn likable. I know that, deep down, it's just a silly horse movie, and without that key casting decision (Goldthwait, too, let's not count him out), this would have disaster written all over it.
But it's Candy's warmth and comedic charm that makes this work so well. I have no idea how well this would hold up if I were watching it with fresh adult eyes, but as it stands, I have quite the soft spot for "Hot to Trot".
7/10 -
zach-15129 June 2006It just gets funnier, every time I see it! The cultural subtext is genius. Bobcat is the idealistic misfit from a previous generation wandering lost through the 80's as yuppy Republicans seize control of America. A talking horse is just as reliable as any "stock" expert at picking winning stocks. It shows the utter ridiculousness of that profession. The cartoonish nature of the movie represents the cynical rejection of reality espoused by punk rock and other revolutionary movements of the time. I guess you just had to be there to understand it. Today, greedy corporate types have so subsumed this country that it is difficult to remember a time when they did not dominate. This movie brilliantly illustrates the culture clash that was occurring at that time. Vietnam and Watergate elevated protest to an art form, especially the DaDa, surrealist, mocking the system type of commentary.
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makeham9812 August 2003Seabiscuit is actually based on this masterwork. "The horse that couldn't win".... yep, that was Don before it was Seabiscuit... "The jockey no one wanted".... Goldthwait long before Tobey... "The obnoxious outsider owner"... Bobcat again. The big climactic race... yes, Seabiscuit fans, you HAVE seen it all before.
Hot to Trot was a film before its time. Dabney Coleman's performance is magical. Virginia Madsen's best performance where she kept her clothes on. And Candy is a master of horse dialects.
Two hoofs up! Ten stars! Fabulous! Mucilage! -
FOMOR11 September 2004Just watched it again for about the third time. Yep, it's similar to Mr. Ed, but if you check your movie history, most of the movie releases are clones to what's been done; just a little twist here and there. Animal movies have proven themselves over and over again to be winners. This one's no different. If you're not an old-fart yet, you got at least one more hilarious flick to see. Thank God I'm open minded, not high-strung, nor hanging on too tight to appreciate this side-splitter. It's FUNNY!! Even if you don't get a laugh out of it, you'll at least get to watch Virginia Madsen strut her stuff. Relax with a drink and a snack, give it a look and laugh yourself light-headed!!!
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aegothis22 October 2009I wish I still had this movie, I sold it but had watched it a lot back in the day. It has everything a good old Jerry Lewis movie would have. Bobcat's "character" is a combination of his old crazy Police Academy self, and a new sort of guy that wants to fit in and make it in society. There's a lot of great characters in this. Although it's predictable, the execution makes it worth the ride every time. It's not "viral" or anything. It's a hidden gem for people who appreciate the classics but also like it when things just get outright silly. The unexplained things that get written in to this kind of comedy make it what it is. This isn't going to impress any snobs who have never farted or talked in a funny voice. But it doesn't rely on toilet humor either. It's just right.
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SkippyDevereaux23 November 2001I must have seen a different movie from all the other commenters, because this is one of the funniest films I have ever seen. John Candy, even though only his voice is used, steals the film!! The funniest part is when "Don, the horse" is feeling lonely and some animals invade the apartment and have a party and destroy the apartment in the process!! I admit, I was one of the ones who voted this a 10!! LOL. It is a funny film!!
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nsugrad0011 December 2001I loved this movie....it's one of the funniest movies ever. Sure, it's probably one of the worst movies ever at the same time. But, this movie makes me laugh and laugh and laugh.
Bobcat, though annoying at times, is hilarious. John Candy is excellent as the voice of Don the Horse. -
Okay, this movie is damn funny. How could you not laugh at Bobcat Golthwait? With a voice like that? Come on, it's nothing but comic genius! Seriously, I first saw this movie when I was about 6 and have loved it ever since. If you enjoy comedies aimed at adult audiences that in effect appeal to six year olds, this film is definitely for you. (it may also fall into that category of "this movie is so bad you have to check it out just to believe that somebody agreed to make it..." also in this category: "Eating Raoul", the early Val Kilmer gem "Real Genius", "Killer Klowns From Outer Space", "Big Momma's House", the list is neverending)
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rocknrelics12 October 2019Lighthearted, stupid FUN!! If you like Bobcat as Zed in the Police Academy movies, you'll love this as you get to see more of the zaniness! This should be better known than it is, just as good as a lot of better known 80's comedies. Well made too. Recommended.
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okronc3 June 1999How do I put into words my love for this film?
Dabney Coleman was superb, a milestone performance. Bob Golthwait shines as the protagonist of this cinematic marvel. And the incomparable John Candy...his voice-overs are breathtaking in their complexity.
Forget all the so-called "great films." Those are child's play compared to this gripping indictment of the gambling industry and one man's dedication to his friend, and his principles.
We can only wait with baited breath for Hot to Trot II: Don Eats An Apple. I hope that Hollywood has the good sense to make it soon, and the budget to make it a fitting tribute to its vaunted predecessor -
moviefreakjps24 April 2014People may think I am crazy, but I feel like if they didn't have the talking animals (well, any animals at all), it would serve as a great satire. See, you have Dabney Coleman, which many remember as the boss in 9 to 5. In the 80s, he served as a face to the ruling class. His character, Walter, is the boss. Then comes Bobcat Goldthwait's character, Fred. Fred gets an inheritance of many shares of the company. Walter thinks Fred, the face of the proletariat, is dumb enough to make an offer of, like, $50 for all the shares that would be worth millions. So, yeah, without the animals this would make for great satire. (All of the above is not at all spoiling anything. All happen towards the very beginning.)
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info-536011 November 2005When is any movie involving a talking animal bad...if you're stoned!! I don't smoke anymore, but a re-watching of this movie might make me break out the ol' hooka... And who doesn't wish they had a horse to give them stock advice?
John Candy is always funny (well, almost always, at least), and this movie comes near the end of what I would consider his prime. And Bobcat, while (as mentioned) annoying at times, has, like a fine wine, gotten better with age.
It's a difficult find, don't even bother looking at Blockbuster, but if you can find it, roll a fat one, sit back, and enjoy what comes close to the stupidest wide release of all time... -
Bobcat Goldthwait becomes an over-night success with the help of his late father's talking horse (voiced by John Candy) in this short little comedy that is pretty short on everything---including laughs. Dabney Coleman is wasted as the comic-book-styled villain. A typical "Mr. Ed" idea that lacks creativity and spunk. Flat from its starting point. 2 stars out of 5.