The
Whoopee Boys (1986/Paramount/Olive Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: D Film: C-
The
1986 comedy The Whoopee Boys, directed by John Byrum, is
finally finding its way onto Blu-ray disc. The film stars Michael
O'Keefe (Ironweed) and Paul Rodriguez (Born in East L.A.)
and was created by the writers of the 1980s cult classic Revenge
of the Nerds, which is far superior to this. This was no doubt a
prototype for Dumb and Dumber, as there are lots of
similarities (though I feel the Farrelly Brothers film is also
superior) in that it focuses on two dummies who go on a road trip to
paradise, one of them falls for a rich woman and has to impress her
by going through any level of humility possible to succeed. If
you're a fan of '80s humor and feel like you have scraped the bottom
of the barrel and are looking for more, then this might be your
ticket. Though it has some vulgar jokes that may make you laugh, I
wouldn't suggest getting your expectations too high for this one.
The
not so skillful con artists Jake (O'Keefe) and Barney (Rodriguez)
decide to trade New York City's chilly weather for the beautiful Palm
Beach after they nearly get caught by a couple of cops. Soon after
they arrive in Florida, however, Jake meets Olivia (Lucinda Jenney)
and immediately falls for her. (Who could blame him?) But it turns
that Jake isn't her type at all the opposite in fact. She's looking
for someone sophisticated who would be willing to marry her in the
next thirty days, allowing her to inherit a fortune that will save a
doomed orphanage. Jake promises Olivia that he can be a new man
enrolls in a private charm school, along with his buddy Barney, where
they will be transformed into respectable men.
Things,
of course go awry, when they meet Colonel Phelps (legendary actor
Denholm Elliott of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade fame, et
al), who is a highly skilled retired crook with an endless arsenal of
tricks. Phelps teaches the two friends how to look and act like real
gentlemen and they start to get it down until Jake meets Olivia's
uncle, who must choose between him and a very mean real estate
developer (Stephen Davies, The Razor's Edge). Will Jake find
true love despite his misadventures?
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and
an English, lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Mono that restores
the film to its original glory, far surpassing it's previous home
video releases. No digital copy.
No
extras on the disc, which is always a letdown.
While
the plot is all too familiar, this film will either transfer you back
in time with some laughs or make you roll your eyes in the present.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
