Although it contains hilarious performances from Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, Michael Richards and Michael McKean, AIRHEADS is a failure as a film. Loosely based on DOG DAY AFTERNOON (in the sense that the entire "hostage situation" story is adapted from that film) the movie fails to capture the raw emotion and desperation of Sidney Lument's masterpiece, which is an understatement because it is a juvenile slapstick comedy. The opening sequences depict a day in the life of a fledgling musician (in the opening scenes Brendan Fraser's character is tossed out of a record company's offices and booted out by his girlfriend while maintain the "musician's" lifestyle at all times, despite not having anything to show for it.) Then out of nowhere the trio finds themselves in a hostage situation, holding up a radio station with plastic water pistols. Instead of wanting a sex-change operation like Sonny wanted in DOG DAY AFTERNOON, the band wants their demo played on the air. The only difference is they get their wish and the films ends with a live Lone Rangers (their oxymoron moniker) concert from prison, where Steve Buscemi is oggled by sexually confused prison inmates as he thrusts his bass (another nod to DOG DAY, but in poor taste.) While the film attempts to mock Lument's film, it ends up praising it, and mocking rock music. Even the soundtrack is full of bad songs from washed up 70s metal and punk bands (as there seems to be no distinction among the two in this film,) and the rockers are portrayed as idiots. From the sheep like crowds which form outside the station to the idiotic SONS OF THUNDER act who seem to be the Lone Rangers' role models and inspirations for their hostage-taking. It mocks itself through its failed efforts to mock others.
Review of Airheads
