Subject: REVIEW: MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD

From: [email-masked] (Evelyn C. Leeper)
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 14:38:32 GMT

[Followups directed to rec.arts.movies.  -Moderator]

		       MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD
		     A film review by Too FAT Guys
		      Copyright 1992 by Roger & Me

Roger:  A little less than a month ago, Jon Lovitz practically stole
	the show with his wry, sardonic humor in his bit part in A
	LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.  In MOM AND DAD SAVE THE WORLD he gets
	top billing.  So, this would be better then, wouldn't it?

Roger:	Well, it depends what you mean by "better."  MOM AND DAD SAVE
	THE WORLD is a science-fiction spoof starring Jon Lovitz as
	Tod "The Destroyer" Spengo, ruler of Spengo, Planet of Idiots.
	As Tod, in an effort to placate his inferiority complex,
	prepares to destroy the Earth, he spies Marge Nelson (Terri
	Garr), a middle aged Earth woman.  He falls madly in love with
	Marge and whisks her and her couch-bound husband, Dick (Jeffery
	Jones), off to Spengo.

Roger:  From there it degenerates into a typical bad guy wants the good
	guy's woman and tries to do away with the good guy to get her.
	I've seen it done a hundred times before and quite often much
	better.  The movie is obviously supposed to get by on comedic
	twists, not the strength or originality of its plot.

Roger:	Certainly, this is not an original plot.  All sorts of films
	have used this plot successfully.  And yes, the numerous gags do
	carry the film.  Much like vintage Stooges, many of these gags
	are quite humorous, with a buffoonish brilliance.  I've seen
	Lovitz more "over the top" than in this film, but I think the
	several sub-texts make up for this lack.  For instance, I felt
	nothing but affinity for Marge, seemingly dragged down by her
	retiring husband -- this could be my family!  Dick's
	transformation into Flash Gordon is exciting in a very real
	way.

Roger:  I disagree.  One of the minor characters said, "What we lack in
	brains we make up for in good intentions."  I think this
	describes the filmmakers quite well.  I could spot all the
	scenes where they were trying to be funny, but for the most
	part they failed miserably.  At one point, Tod is contemplating
	the spare tire above his belt and attempts to become svelte by
	doing a short workout.  By the punchline, instead of laughing, I
	was envisioning the authoring committee pitching ideas to make
	the scene funny.

Roger:	I guess there's just no substitute for "getting it."  The scene
	you're complaining about, I found quite funny.  Very reminiscent
	of "Ren & Stimpy" and Tex Avery.  Oh well, your loss.  I give
	this film a fairly mild thumbs up.

Roger:  I'm a fan of both "Ren & Stimpy" and Tex Avery cartoons, but
	this just didn't do it for me.  I've seen all the gags before.
	Watching this movie was like hearing a joke for the hundredth
	time, the freshness is gone.  It's just not funny anymore.  Even
	the profusion of Bulldogs, which I appreciated greatly, wasn't
	enough to save this movie from a thumbs down.

Roger:	Ignoring all of the originality and cleverness, I agree with
	you completely.  That said, this film earned one mild thumb up,
	and one thumb down.  That's all for now -- the tty is closed.