Product Details

• Actors: Cyndi Lauper, David Keith, Johnny Pinto, David Thornton, Richard Belzer
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: July 10, 2001
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304102925
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,542 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Cyndi Lauper stars as a performing mermaid in a Miami nightclub who ends up on the wrong end of a murder. On the run carrying a locket that people seem to be getting killed for, she runs into an ex-golfer and a wisecracking kid who might just be able to bail her out of this wacky nightmare.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lauper Should've Been Off & Running When They Offered This, August 29, 2000

By 

Patrick Burnett "penngos" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Off & Running [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you are a fan of singer Cyndi Lauper, you can find outlets for your appreciation nearly anywhere; Amazon alone lists nearly two dozen entries, from originals, to soundtracks to Club remixes. That's not counting the videos of her concerts and appearances at Wrestlemania events.

If you are a fan of actress Cyndi Lauper, then that's another kettle of fish entirely. You basically get your choice between 1989's wonderful "Vibes" with Jeff Goldblum & Peter Falk, the lackluster "Life with Mikey" and this ungodly mess, called "Off & Running".

The box asks us "What do a wacky nightclub mermaid, a failed ex-golfer, a wise-cracking kid and a killer all have in common...?" Answer: Each is trying to get this film erased from his or her resume. The story goes like this, Lauper, the wacky nightclub mermaid, is approached by a former jockey who acts way too much like a stalker to be taken seriously by any but the most desperate of women. After a night of passion, both the jockey and his favorite horse are murdered. Before he dies, the jockey gives Lauper a key to...something...and she feels it is her duty to find out what. While following her destiny, she runs into (literally) David Keith, who goes on to kidnap a child he thinks is Laupers. The three of them ride the Hijinx Train to hilarity followed by a wacky hitman.

Well, no, not really. I didn't find much about this film to be amusing, other than the fact that Cyndi Lauper would fall for any lines as transparent as the jockey's. In fact, it was all pretty pathetic. The dialog was wooden, the story implausible, unbelievable and cruel in places. On top of that, the sound on the video I saw was muddy, making it nearly impossible to hear the bad actors muff their lines.

What did I like about this movie? Well, a couple of things. Cyndi Lauper was a delight, as always, though her haircut in this film, a flapper's bob, emphasized the squidginess of her face. This was more than compensated for by her costumes, from the whimsical mermaid outfit to the knockout little black dress she dons later. Richard Belzer, overacting, makes a wonderful appearance (shirtless,in a white satin vest, yet!)as the birdchested half-owner of a swamp motel. The killer is actually kind of funny in a psychotic, scenery-chewing kind of way.

If you're a Cyndi Lauper fan, it's worth taking a look at, but I wouldn't try too hard to track it down.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars a film that should of been better, August 19, 2001

By 

frankie villarreal (mountain view, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Off & Running [VHS] (VHS Tape)

cyndi lauper is a great singer and actress so when i saw this film I wanted it to be better. I baught the film and it was just ok.The best part of the film is the beginnig the first 20minutes after that it just went down hill. The beginning scenes when shes was dressed as a mermaid were entertaining, the writer and director should of kept the film simple but added a terrible storyline that not even cyndis charm could save it.Cyndi sings acouple of songs that its worth buying this film the song are not entirely sung becauseof whats going in in the film. The two songs she sings beautifully are "blue moon" and "crimson and clover".It is to bad the script could of had more action and david keiths acting is awful in this film and so is the comedian who stays at his hotel-bad jokes. The only thing that saved this film is cyndi, but i do wish that this film would be put on dvd maybe it will be a little more entertaining and thier will be bonus material that will be a collectors dream of cyndi lauper.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cyndi saves this flick, December 29, 2001

By 

Teapot Tales (Brooklyn, NY U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Off & Running [VHS] (VHS Tape)

All the previous reviews are true, except they don't emphasize enough on Cyndi Lauper. This movie wouldn't even exist without her. I mean, nobody would watch it. With Cyndi, it's well worth watching. Her performance is so awesome and she looks so great that you don't really have to follow the storyline. Watching Cyndi perform is a true delight.
All I can say is buy this movie if you're a fan of Cyndi Lauper. If not, then buy "Twelve Deadly Cyns...And Then Some" DVD and enjoy her great music videos.