Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why Does This Movie Get Bad Reviews??, August 25, 2002
I have NEVER understood why this movie has been so poorly rated. It is hilarious from start to finish; it has fantastic comedic writing and a wonderful cast. Anyone who watched this with me on tape ended up borrowing it, and no one I know agrees with the reviewers; they LIKE this movie! It is a parody of the 1930's gangster movies and, as such is in a class with "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles". Michel Keaton is the title character who turns to a life of "crime" in order to provide for his mother's endless series of life saving surgeries. His old Irish mother is played by Maureen Stapleton (and no one will ever forget "Hi. I'm Ma Kelley and I go both ways"). The characters and the one liners are simply fantastic. I tend to be very critical of movies and books: to "work" they have to occasion that "willful suspension of disbelief" that lets the viewer/reader get "into" the story. In my experience, this is most difficult in a comedy because it is hard to sustain the participation of the viewer in observing the story. However, it happens here seamlessly. I was particularly happy to have the DVD, because my tape was showing its age and use. From a technical point of view, the DVD does what it is supposed to do: crisp, clean and vivid picture and good (pre-Dolby 5.1, though) sound. The price is right, too. If you watch it and disagree with my high regard for this film, send an e-mail. But I'll bet that you find it to be a delightful film.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the all time best comedies of all time!, March 14, 2004
Sometimes the critics need to let go of their intellectual snobbery and just go with comedic timing. The entire cast of this film works well together, the jokes are funny and some people have been using quotes from this movie for twenty years. That's got to count for something.So go out and buy this movie, you farging iceholes.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An often overlooked comedy gem..., April 19, 2005
One of the more under-appreciated comedies of the 1980's, Johnny Dangerously seems to have slipped under the radar of the majority of the movie viewing public. But this is a true gem of a comedy created in the spirit of cult hits like Airplane and The Naked Gun. Sporting an all-star cast, and an endless number of hilarious scenes and one-liners, Johnny Dangerously is one of my favorite comedy films of all time. Michael Keaton is at his best in a comedic role (much like Tom Hanks before he too moved into more serious roles). Joe Piscopo also turns in one of his most memorable movie appearances, but the show stealer is little known actor Richard Dimitri in his portrayal of Roman Moronie - that fargin' bastage can really act!
Set in the 1930's, Johnny Dangerously follows the life of Johnny Kelly (Michael Keaton), an honest, All-American boy who turns to a life of crime in order to help pay for his mother's ever-mounting medical bills. When local gangster Jocko Dundee (Peter Boyle) has his butt saved by the enterprising young paperboy, he gives him the nickname Johnny Dangerously and hires him to work as courier in his operation. Boyle, a superb actor in his own right (Honeymoon In Vegas and Everybody Loves Raymond), has several great one-liners, and right from the start, this movie is scene after scene of laughs...
As the years pass, Johnny works his way up in the Dundee gang, which wages a constant turf war with the immigrant mobster Roman Moronie (Richard Dimitri). However, when Jocko is assassinated, Johnny is appointed to take his place, prompting inter-gang rival Danny Vermin (Joe Piscopo) to form his own gang in direct competition to Johnny. The situation is further complicated when Johnny's little brother, Tommy (Griffin Dunne), rises to the position of Attorney General, vowing to take on mobsters like Johnny Dangerously. When Danny Vermin finds out that Johnny and Tommy are brothers, he uses the information to his own advantage - threatening to ruin Johnny and all he holds dear...
Featuring a brief appearance by Danny DeVito, and Marliu Henner starring in a supporting role, Johnny Dangerously is packed with top-tier talent. Well written, and absolutely hilarious, the film is another comedy classic for director Amy Heckerling (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, European Vacation, Clueless, and A Night At The Roxbury). The laughs are endless in Johnny Dangerously, which is filled with scenes such as the one where Michael Keaton gives his mob buddies a pep talk about the need to compete against "low-cost, high-quality Japanese gangs" and Joe Piscopo's warning to not hang him on a hook, because his "sister hung him on a hook once... Once!"
The key to Johnny Dangerously's success is the performers and their ability to deliver the lines with absolute perfection. A cast with lesser experience in the realm of comedy would have made this movie a footnote in history. Instead, Johnny Dangerously turned out to be one of the top comedies of the decade. If you haven't seen it (and a lot of people haven't even heard of it), then I highly recommend that you watch Johnny Dangerously. It's quite simply one of the funniest films ever made, and it's definitely a must-see...
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