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Reviews
Funny Farm (1988)
Characters Are Not Likable
I pulled this dusty VHS off the shelf today and felt a faint stirring of disgust. Never one to balk at a mystery, I sat down with my old pal IMDb to figure out why I had such an aversion to this movie when everything about this movie should add up to being a 10-star masterpiece for my tastes. Here are things I really love in movies, and that this movie has:
1. Chevy Chase
2. Light/slapstick comedy
3. 80s comedy
4. Fish-out-of-water story
5. "living the dream" plot
6. I can relate to it (we moved city-to-farm in real life)
7. Animal/outdoor humor
8. Beautiful setting
This should be the perfect movie for me. So what on earth is it that makes me so reluctant to like this movie? I finally figured it out: I don't actually LIKE any of the characters - everyone in this movie seemed so very mean spirited and just plain grumpy. There really wasn't anyone to "root for" at all. I didn't care whether they stayed in the town, stayed married, moved away, got divorced, or even abducted by aliens and never seen again 2/3 of the way through the movie? I really like movies that allow me to enjoy and feel for the characters - this one was very VERY lacking in that department.
I'm glad I finally figured it out. Next time I pull that VHS off the shelf, I hope to remember exactly why I should put it right back up again.