35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
PRETTY DARN FUNNY..., February 17, 2003
This is definitely one of the better Chevy Chase vehicles, as it does not go too far off the beaten path and is handled with a lighter touch than many of his other films. It is funny, wry, and deftly humorous.
The plot is simple. A sportswriter from New York, Andy Farmer (Chevy Chase), and his wife, Elizabeth (Madolyn Smith-Osborne), decide to move to the country so that he can write his great American novel. They move to rural Redbud, Vermont, and instead of a bucolic, pastoral setting with friendly, kindly, country folk, they find snakes, a postman who maniacally drinks and drives, a sheriff who can't drive a car, a corpse in their back yard, and a whole slew of the weirder than weird.
Instead of writing the great American novel, Andy only manages to turn out some useless drivel, while Elizabeth turns out a charming children's book. This causes great friction between the two, and it looks as if their sojourn in the country, as well as their marriage, is to be a brief one. They decide to move back to New York and inveigle the entire town of Redbud to assist them in selling their house, by turning the town and its environs into a warm and cozy setting out of a Norman Rockwell painting. What happens next is quite funny.
Just about every one in the film is a little wacky, with the exception of Andy's wife, Elizabeth, who is the one sane, grounded character. Madolyn Smith-Osborne gives an excellent performance as the wife. She is a perfect comedic foil. Chevy Chase as Andy is well...Chevy Chase and, as always, funny. The supporting cast is likewise excellent and contribute to the many humorous moments in the film. All in all, this is an enjoyable comedy that is fun for the whole family.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Just a Pleasure to Watch, February 4, 2002
Let me say that I'm not a big Chevy Chase fan - but I like this movie. The story of a couple, Andy and Elizabeth Farmer, who move from the daily grind of New York to the picturesque country setting of Rosebud, only to find their scenic utopia populated by a pack of small town lunatics.
There are some truly funny moments: the cackling, alcoholic mailman who never stops; the bid to sell the house (cue the deer); the casket in the garden... it all works and provides for a good movie from beginning to end.
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22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Funny Farm, March 22, 2008
This movie was made when Chevy Chase was doing some of his best work. Unfortunately this was not the best example of it. It was entertaining and had some funny moments, but there are better movies that showcase his comedic genius such as Fletch.
I have added this to my Christmas collection as the scenes they did for the holidays were a scream! With all the amazing supporting characters, I expected more from the film than I got.
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