Tommy Boy

I watch this film (or portions of it) every time it comes on television. I don't buy many DVDs, but this is one I will definitely make an exception for eventually. Chris Farley and David Spade's antics have been well documented in the other reviews, but in addition to the comedy, you might also find yourself shedding a bit of a sentimental tear. There is one particular scene that had me going from tears of sentiment to tears of laughter in a matter of seconds (the sing-a-long in the car - you know the one if you've seen the movie). Even Rob Lowe had some very funny moments. Frankly, I don't know how they ever managed to finish this movie, as I wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face had I been one of the actors. I imagine there were a lot of re-takes.

If nothing else, this certainly has to feature the funniest cow-tipping scene ever filmed, though I'd be hard pressed to cite other such scenes. Unlike many of the recent comedies, this one is funny throughout. Highly recommended.

As it turns out, Chris Farley and David Spade only made three movies together ("Coneheads", "Tommy Boy" and "Black Sheep"), but this was truly the "Citizen Kane" of their pairings. Farley plays Thomas Callahan III, the dimwitted heir to an auto parts company. His father Big Tom (Brian Dennehy) hires mild-mannered Richard Hayden (David Spade) to look after him. Big Tom is getting married to a "ten" (Bo Derek), so everything has to be in order. After Big Tom suddenly dies, Tommy and Richard have to try to sell half a million auto parts to save the company from bankruptcy. From then on, the movie is pretty much an excuse for Chris Farley to do what he does best: make a mess of everything.

When this movie first came out in the theaters, I saw it with my grandfather. He figured out early on that the Bo Derek and Rob Lowe characters were hiding something. But you can completely ignore that and simply luxuriate in Chris Farley's antics. Nothing is safe around his stomach, and hell hath no fury like his happy-go-lucky attitude. The scene where he sets the cars on fire, and later the deer scene, make for a pure laugh riot. Chris Farley and David Spade were truly the John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd of their era. It's a pleasure to always be able to think about "Fat guy in a little coat" time and again.

This film should go down as a slapstick comedy classic. Farley's untimely death should be lamented, he was a comic god. This movie is unashamedly stupid, but if you'll just relax it's also one of the funniest films you'll ever see.

Ok, it has a paper-thin plot, but it does contain some cinematic firsts: a moose breaking its way out of a classic car; Rob Lowe being electrocuted through his pecker; a fat man in a little coat.

See this film. Twice

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.

This film has everything - laughs, tears, heart. It's a training film on how to make a memorable comedy. And it appears its studio had no faith in it initially, since it was released in the spring of 1995, a time of year when you are not competing with a bunch of blockbusters. It's in good company though. Clueless, another classic, was also released that spring.

"Tommy Boy" Callahan (Chris Farley) is a goof off and a screw up from childhood. It takes him seven years to graduate college, with a D average. But his dad "Big Tom" Callahan (Brian Dennehy) welcomes him home with pride and open arms. He gives Tommy an office at the family company, a manufacturer of auto parts. Tommy is always getting sideways with Richard (David Spade), Big Tom Callahan's right-hand man. Richard worked his way up in the company, considers Big Tom to be the father he never had, and he resents Tommy because everything is handed to him - the company, a great dad - and he doesn't seem to appreciate any of it.

And then Big Tom dies suddenly, while he was in the process of expanding the company product line, so an extension in a loan is needed from the bank. But, to the bank, Big Tom WAS the company, and they really don't have faith in it without him. Tommy offers to put up his entire inheritance as collateral if the bank will give them a certain amount of time to get a large number of new sales, to prove the company still has a reputation outside of Big Tom's name. So this launches the lion's share of this film. Tommy, the neophyte who has never really had to work for anything, with Richard, the guy who has had to work for everything - on the road together, in Richard's prize car, trying to make the sales that will save the company.

Speaking of that car, I've always loved the symbolism of Richard and his car. In the beginning of the movie, he is all about his car since it is really the only thing in his life since he has no friends. He employs a no eating rule in the car and is upset when M&Ms roll into his dash. As the movie goes along his car just keeps getting more and more trashed and he cares less and less. His relationship with his car is inversely proportional to his friendship with Tommy. This all climaxes when he is fully sold on helping Tommy by going to ridiculous lengths. When they arrive at the airport near the end, and the parking attendant tells Richard that he can't park his car there, he just throws him the keys and says "keep it." Symbolically trading his car for his friend.

I'd highly recommend this, even if on the surface it might seem like just another sophomoric comedy, because it is not.