1985 - Better Off Dead

Yeah, it was as stupid as it looks.

"Better Off Dead" is about a teenage boy, Lane (John Cusack) who becomes suicidal after his girlfriend breaks up with him for a more popular guy. Eventually he finds solace in the French foreign exchange student who is staying with his neighbors.

Unfortunately for the French girl, her host mother is trying to hook her up with her oh-so-attractive son.

I thought this would be more of a straight up 80's romantic comedy, sort of like Sixteen Candles or something like that. It was actually just kind of weird. There isn't really much of a plot. It's just kind of like "Hey, this guys girlfriend broke up with him! Let's film him moping around and hanging out with his weirdo family for a few days!".

And then there is the weird hamburger dancing/singing parts. I have no idea what the purpose of those were. It's was just weird. And the Asian guys with the speakers on top their car who kept trying to drag race Lane? I have no idea...weird.

See? I'm not kidding.

Some parts were kind of funny. I liked the weirdo family. The mom was always making new recipes that were usually green or slimy or both. In fact, everyone in this movie was really weird. His best friend snorts snow (like cocaine), his little brother builds rockets in his bedroom, and his neighbors are also nuts.

The only really normal one is the French exchange student. She pretends she can't speak English so she can avoid her host family.

Yuck.

Random Thoughts:
-I would hate to be invited over to Lane's house for dinner.
-They have Hershey's chocolate milk in their cafeteria!
-Did the dancing, guitar-playing hamburger scene really happen?

Verdict?
2/5 stars. Was really, really weird. Don't think I'd watch it again, although a few parts were humorous.