85 of 87 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very funny, with some midwest soul, February 13, 2001
How can I give this movie 5 stars? While on the surface this is not a film for the ages, it is perhaps one of the funniest films I have ever seen. Chris Farley is at the top of his game - which includes the usual pratfalls and physical comedy. One of the strong points includes the character of "Tommy Boy". An odd blend of self loathing ("I have what Dr.'s call a bit of a weight problem..I once ate a whole bear claw and got it stuck right here..), combined with a charming sense of confidence in himself. The scenes where Chris Farley and David Spade are trying to sell brake pads to customers are absolutely hysterical. I have played the scenes for sales personnel as great examples of how "not to sell". The movie is so full of classic one-liners, that it gets funnier every time I watch it. I recommend the movie, not as an artistic masterpiece by any means, but a funny and touching story. If you do not laugh out loud, you are taking life way too seriously!
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70 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rest in Peace, big guy, we miss ya!, July 17, 2001
I just love this movie! It is smart, funny, and it even has heart. Chris Farley was a comic genius, he could make you laugh without even trying. And, he and David Spade made a great team, the funniest comic team since Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. It's just too bad they only made two movies together (three if you count "Coneheads", but they weren't really together in that movie, just both in it, and that movie wasn't so great anyway), I would have liked to have seen more. The basic story of this movie is that Farley plays Tommy Calahan, a burnout college student whose father (Brian Dennehy) owns a brake pad company. When his father dies, Tommy must take over and try to keep the company afloat with the help of his dad's assistant (Spade), and keep his evil stepmom and her "son" (played by Bo Derek and Rob Lowe) from usurping the inheritance. Through this somewhat cliched storyline, we get tons of laughs, and more than a couple of dramatic moments, proving it's not just some silly little film. If you love to laugh, you can't get go wrong here. I also recommend Farley and Spade's second movie, "Black Sheep". It's not quite as good as this one, but still very funny. It's really a shame that personal and health problems took this man's life, there is definitely a huge void in the world of comedy without him (that was not intended to be a fat joke, I mean that seriously). Please see this movie, it is very good.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
an unlikely hero, September 29, 2000
I did not expect much out of this movie. That could be the reason I love it so much. Farley and Spade were terrific together. One of the few times an SNL cast worked well on the big screen. I had to get the DVD now that I have worn out my tape. I also appreciate that this movie does not have to be crude, vulgar or violent to be entertaining. Goes to show what can be done when they take the time to write a decent script. As with any movie, I recommend renting the movie first.
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