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Better Off Dead (1985)
Episode 38413th October 2025 • What's Our Verdict Reviews • What's Our Verdict
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The primary focus of this episode centers on the film "Better Off Dead," a cinematic piece that, despite its comedic intent, elicits a spectrum of reactions from its viewers. As we delve into the narrative, we explore the absurdity and randomness intertwined within the storyline, wherein the protagonist grapples with rejection and a series of misadventures that provoke both laughter and contemplation. We examine the film's structure, or lack thereof, and reflect upon its nostalgic charm contrasted with its perplexing moments, as the characters navigate a world replete with surreal humor. Our discussion also touches upon the cultural context of the 1980s, highlighting how the film captures the essence of the era's comedic style, which may appear antiquated to contemporary audiences. Ultimately, we aim to dissect what makes "Better Off Dead" a memorable, albeit unconventional, entry in the canon of teen comedies.

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Transcripts

Speaker A:

Not gonna stoop to your level, Jay.

Speaker B:

I'm telling you, Al did this on purpose.

Speaker A:

I've had numerous podcasts.

Speaker C:

I would never.

Speaker A:

I've.

Speaker A:

I've stated my case.

Speaker A:

I've won the war.

Speaker A:

I've finished the battle.

Speaker A:

I'm not even worried about it.

Speaker B:

It's just decisions, like, being made about who won what.

Speaker B:

Like.

Speaker B:

Welcome to the what's Already podcast, where we fashion ourselves cinematic Judge and Jerry.

Speaker B:

My name is JJ CR Here with my co hosts, Matz, Better Red Than Dead and Alec Burgess.

Speaker C:

Let's get it.

Speaker B:

We appreciate you tuning in.

Speaker B:

Go hit that Follow Subscribe.

Speaker B:

Like Bell notification buttons.

Speaker B:

All of them.

Speaker B:

Hit them, push them, click them.

Speaker B:

Do it.

Speaker B:

Do it anyway.

Speaker B:

With.

Speaker B:

Yeah, like, look, it'll help you keep us.

Speaker B:

A podcast helps grow the podcast.

Speaker B:

You can also tell friends and family members about us.

Speaker B:

That'll help us grow the podcast.

Speaker B:

Or you can tell skiing phenoms in high school.

Speaker B:

Just out of high.

Speaker B:

Were they in college?

Speaker B:

I don't even remember high school.

Speaker B:

High school?

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

Sure didn't look like high school, though.

Speaker B:

Fair.

Speaker B:

That was the 80s, though, so.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

Look, it's week two, actually.

Speaker B:

Before I get into that, go check us out on Patreon.

Speaker B:

It's weird, it's fun, it's goofy.

Speaker B:

You can do some things for free.

Speaker B:

You can help support the podcast financially a little bit.

Speaker B:

It's not cheap doing this.

Speaker C:

If you socially listen to sits letters, Matson's gotten boy.

Speaker B:

I'll tell you, it's a lot of.

Speaker C:

Money to pay out.

Speaker B:

So we're in week two of John Cusack October, and we're doing the movie Better Off Dead.

Speaker B:

,:

Speaker B:

It was written and directed by.

Speaker B:

This says a lot.

Speaker B:

Savage.

Speaker B:

Steve Holland.

Speaker B:

It was.

Speaker B:

It stars John Cusack, David Ogden Steers, Kim Darby, Damien Slade, Scooter Stevens, Diane Franklin, Dan Schneider, Laura Waterbury, Yuji Okamoto, Brian Amada, and Amanda Weiss.

Speaker B:

It's about.

Speaker B:

Oh, don't forget Curtis Armstrong.

Speaker B:

How could I ever.

Speaker B:

It's about man that after his girlfriend dumps him for a boorish ski jock, a depressed high school student begins to ineptly attempt suicide, which brings him nothing but embarrassment.

Speaker B:

The French exchange students starts to change his outlook on life.

Speaker B:

That was a wild synopsis, which.

Speaker B:

Anyway, I'm gonna stop.

Speaker B:

Alec, this is your movie.

Speaker B:

Tell us why you picked Better Off Dead.

Speaker C:

Because I hate you both.

Speaker C:

No, I pick it because I. I enjoy this movie because it feels like the planning of it was just a room with a dartboard and everybody got sick and they Covered their eyes and hooked them, whatever it landed on.

Speaker C:

They're like, you know what?

Speaker C:

What's the twist?

Speaker C:

Kids like school.

Speaker C:

That's the twist.

Speaker C:

They said, we need a bad guy.

Speaker C:

And I said, let's make it the paper boy.

Speaker C:

And just dollars.

Speaker B:

So off the balls.

Speaker C:

Random that I, I, it's, it's enjoyable.

Speaker C:

I don't like it necessarily, but it's an enjoyable enough watch because the, the randomness of it doesn't make me want to, you know, kick a baby.

Speaker A:

Did you eat while you're watching this movie?

Speaker A:

Or.

Speaker A:

Oh, no, you were pulsed.

Speaker B:

Nah.

Speaker B:

No.

Speaker C:

And I'm never gonna look at red jello the same way again.

Speaker B:

Oh, that's funny.

Speaker C:

But there's just little story elements to it, right?

Speaker C:

That get me sucked in.

Speaker C:

And so I'm around for the next one and I'm like, oh, okay, let's see what happens next.

Speaker C:

And so I can giggle or I can joke around, but like, the whole opening scene with David Ogden steers just like you.

Speaker C:

You think something's going wrong?

Speaker C:

No, it's just, you know, Sunday morning and here comes the paper boy.

Speaker C:

That's all that's happening.

Speaker C:

So it's just, it just makes me, it makes me chuckle and giggle enough.

Speaker A:

This movie is a classic made for TV movie because you miss, you miss there's commercial and you got to go do something.

Speaker A:

You miss that till the next commercial, you're fine.

Speaker A:

Because you're like, I just moved on to the next scene, okay?

Speaker A:

The next bit.

Speaker A:

That's all this movie is.

Speaker A:

I mean, there you got the mom who can't cook.

Speaker A:

I mean, they had like, they felt like I was watching Aliens the movie at one part, when she's cooking the lobster.

Speaker A:

Then you got the green goop with raisins in it that ends up.

Speaker A:

You got the super smart brother that almost killed his brother by shooting a laser at a box that lit on fire.

Speaker A:

He's got prostitutes in his room.

Speaker A:

It launches a rocket out of their house.

Speaker A:

The paper boy that somehow shows up on K12, I don't even give me start.

Speaker A:

How did he get, how did he get there?

Speaker B:

I don't know, but I want one of those ski bikes.

Speaker A:

I want my $2.

Speaker A:

Like, how did he get up that mountain?

Speaker A:

Also, K12 didn't make a lot of sense because John Cusack, what is his name in this movie?

Speaker A:

Lane, right?

Speaker B:

Lane.

Speaker A:

Lane.

Speaker A:

Like he's skiing and all of a sudden just shows up at K12.

Speaker A:

Like, this is K12.

Speaker A:

Seems really high.

Speaker A:

How, how did you, How'd you get There, like, no chair lift, but we just got there, and everyone in this movie looked like they were like 28 to, like 32.

Speaker A:

I don't know about 80s actors.

Speaker A:

I'm like, found anyone younger looking.

Speaker A:

Anybody, Especially the.

Speaker A:

The ski prot.

Speaker A:

The.

Speaker A:

The bad guy was like, this dude looks like he belongs to, like, a Magnum commercial or something.

Speaker B:

Like, definitely the 80s dude.

Speaker B:

We have the opposite problem now.

Speaker B:

You're like, they're actually that old.

Speaker B:

But now, back then they were like, whoa, they were in high school.

Speaker A:

And then like, the whole, like, they liked school that made me chuckle.

Speaker A:

I mean, there's just so many things in this movie that are really funny to me.

Speaker A:

All the suicide scenes to the fat, weird kid and his mom, like, and his looks, like, just.

Speaker A:

He was creepy.

Speaker A:

They should make a horror movie with him in it.

Speaker A:

Like, he.

Speaker A:

He could be like the new IT clown.

Speaker C:

That would be the one that gets me.

Speaker C:

Jj.

Speaker C:

A Ricky Smith horror movie.

Speaker A:

So all that to be said, I could just keep going on and off.

Speaker A:

Like, this movie.

Speaker A:

Like, we.

Speaker A:

We just reviewed.

Speaker A:

Say anything that was also random.

Speaker A:

This movie is quintessential poster child of, like, randomness.

Speaker A:

And in Alex Toy, right?

Speaker A:

It's like they just sat in a room and were like, okay, we.

Speaker A:

You each get to pick one thing that you want to add to this movie.

Speaker A:

And then they were just like, effort.

Speaker A:

We're Hollywood.

Speaker A:

Make the thing.

Speaker A:

And they did.

Speaker A:

And I laughed.

Speaker A:

Like, this movie is entertaining to say the least.

Speaker A:

It doesn't make any sense.

Speaker A:

And do you.

Speaker A:

You talk about say anything not being a deep movie.

Speaker A:

Ain't nothing deep about this movie.

Speaker A:

It's not one bit.

Speaker A:

Nothing, anything.

Speaker A:

Randomness all around to the French girl that should be like a baseball player.

Speaker A:

I'm like, I'm sorry.

Speaker A:

I don't know how maybe.

Speaker A:

Maybe that the street sign was just out of camera view, so it's like four feet away.

Speaker A:

But the throwing motion and hitting, that everything.

Speaker A:

I'm like, look, you should go pitch for the Dodgers, because apparently you got like, you got us all that to be said.

Speaker A:

This movie's funny, completely random.

Speaker A:

And I need a newspaper.

Speaker A:

And I haven't seen one in like 10 years, but damn, get me one.

Speaker B:

Oh, my God, I don't know what to do with myself right now.

Speaker B:

Okay, listen, how do you enjoy this movie?

Speaker B:

But you hate Bill and Ted, dude.

Speaker B:

Like, it's the same movie.

Speaker B:

It's the same movie.

Speaker B:

Like, it is literally the same.

Speaker B:

It's pointless comedy for the sake of pointless comedy that brings out points in sketches throughout the movie because they don't.

Speaker A:

Have repeated phrases that make them sound brain dead, jj.

Speaker A:

It's at least a little bit more.

Speaker B:

They have the same fucking windows in a garage getting blown up 19 times.

Speaker B:

Like they beat jokes to death in this movie.

Speaker B:

It's the same structure, dude.

Speaker B:

Literally, like I.

Speaker B:

It blows my mind that you're praising this movie like you flip flopping man of the people.

Speaker B:

You like flip flop like politics.

Speaker B:

And I swear to God, this is why Alec picked this movie.

Speaker B:

Because you had made jokes about better off dead in the past that you liked it.

Speaker B:

This was like, watch me.

Speaker B:

Like, JJ's ass on fire's gonna like this.

Speaker B:

And I'm gonna go, how the do you like this?

Speaker B:

Not Bill and Ted with that rant over and said, I don't like this movie very much.

Speaker B:

It's because there is no point to the random ass comedy that comes through it.

Speaker B:

Funny.

Speaker B:

Hell yeah.

Speaker B:

Laugh my ass off at 90 of this movie.

Speaker B:

But there's no point whatsoever to this movie.

Speaker B:

None.

Speaker B:

It makes no sense.

Speaker B:

Also it.

Speaker B:

There's a reason that the guy's creepy, because the actual Dan Schneider is creepy.

Speaker B:

If you haven't watched the Nickelodeon.

Speaker B:

What was it called?

Speaker B:

Something about kids tv.

Speaker B:

Like there's a whole documentary, a four part documentary about this dude being a bad person to a lot of child actors in Nickelodeon, including Amanda Bynes and like, like, it's not good.

Speaker B:

So if you haven't watched it, you should watch it because it's a very interesting documentary.

Speaker B:

With that said, that guy's a creep.

Speaker B:

For real?

Speaker B:

For real.

Speaker B:

Not just like in this movie.

Speaker B:

Like the actual human being.

Speaker B:

There's something wrong with his ass and he should probably be in jail.

Speaker B:

I don't know if he is or he isn't, but he probably should be.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

With that said, look, this is my least favorite John Cusack movie.

Speaker B:

And that's saying a lot because he's done some movies.

Speaker B:

But this one to me is like, I don't.

Speaker B:

I like it in moments.

Speaker B:

It's.

Speaker B:

It's very much similar to the one we did last week with say Anything where it's like, I could put it on a site too.

Speaker B:

Beat Ho Jay now thinks he knows comedy.

Speaker A:

And yet Bill and Ted is trash.

Speaker A:

Check back for more opinions.

Speaker B:

You, you, you lose.

Speaker B:

All right.

Speaker B:

To say that because you like better off dead.

Speaker B:

Like, it's just, it's the same.

Speaker B:

Literally made almost the same time.

Speaker B:

But I do, I do love the freaking announcer voice in the racing.

Speaker B:

Like, that's the thing is, like, some of the bits are hilarious.

Speaker B:

The $2 is hysterical.

Speaker B:

The fact that there's a war going on between the dad and the paper boy breaking windows, like, to the point that he wakes up early to protect his garage when all that shit's funny.

Speaker B:

But I get to the end of the movie and I go, why were you chasing her ass anyway?

Speaker B:

Like, she's really shitty to you.

Speaker B:

The little French girl is much more attractive than the other girl.

Speaker B:

The other was just a pain in the ass.

Speaker B:

Like, I don't understand, like, why you would want to un.

Speaker B:

Alive yourself.

Speaker B:

Because she broke up.

Speaker B:

I'd be like, partying, going, hey, I'm gonna go steal Dan Schneider's little weirdo girlfriend that he thinks is his girlfriend.

Speaker B:

I think the funniest part of this movie to me, though, is when he finds out she actually speaks English.

Speaker B:

Like, and that whole, like, that just.

Speaker B:

That part makes me laugh my ass off.

Speaker B:

But there's so many parts of this movie that I can't help but laugh but go, good God, that's ridiculous.

Speaker A:

I think my low key favorite part is there's two parts that comes out is at the beginning with the cereal boxes, but then later when Lane comes out, he's on the phone with somebody and he's just trying to get the cat food, and he's like, totally.

Speaker A:

Believe me.

Speaker A:

So I'm just like, bro.

Speaker A:

Like, oh, it's everywhere, dude.

Speaker A:

And then you're, like, about to eat.

Speaker A:

It's like, oh, man.

Speaker A:

It's so funny because you think back to your childhood.

Speaker A:

I didn't really ever cut those things out, but that's.

Speaker A:

I don't know.

Speaker A:

Whatever.

Speaker A:

For whatever reason, man, it just makes me laugh so much.

Speaker A:

It's like, the dad's just like, what the hell is this?

Speaker B:

There's a reason that cereal boxes are in plastic bags inside the box now.

Speaker B:

Because that was real in the 80s, boys.

Speaker A:

Oh, was it really, man?

Speaker A:

Yeah, it was so stupid in the 80s.

Speaker A:

But then.

Speaker B:

Well, no, like, they didn't actually.

Speaker B:

We didn't like, oh, okay.

Speaker B:

So kids.

Speaker B:

Yes.

Speaker B:

Like, we would do it one time, and then you get your block knocked off because it would end up in the cupboard.

Speaker B:

Spilled out, right?

Speaker B:

But yeah, like, that's.

Speaker B:

And then it was like, do not cut that until the cereal's gone.

Speaker B:

But yeah, there didn't used to be a plastic bag in the cereal boxes.

Speaker B:

It came out because then kids could go, now I get to cut that out now?

Speaker B:

As opposed to having to wait until.

Speaker B:

But yeah, that was real.

Speaker A:

Maybe the 80s were smart because they weren't putting plastic in the ocean, but at the same time, questionable decisions.

Speaker B:

Back then, the 80s were a wild decade, dude, and I was a little kid for them.

Speaker B:

But they were a weird decade.

Speaker A:

The 80s was just full of random bits of comedy, just true things to the next.

Speaker A:

Apparently.

Speaker B:

We, we, yeah, we found random ass comedy.

Speaker B:

Very funny.

Speaker B:

And we found weird high school love stories.

Speaker B:

Really funny too.

Speaker A:

Let's not even get started on the montage of fixing a Camaro that probably was dead beat in a day.

Speaker A:

I'm like, I'm sorry.

Speaker A:

Like, I don't care how good you are.

Speaker A:

That probably not happening.

Speaker B:

And yeah, you don't go from.

Speaker A:

Or a week or a month.

Speaker B:

Yeah, you don't go from not running, sitting in the front house in like, what felt like two days maybe to like a pristine, sexy ass Camaro.

Speaker B:

That's my dream car, by the way.

Speaker B:

That version.

Speaker B:

It's beautiful.

Speaker A:

So that costs you a fair penny today.

Speaker B:

Dad used to have one silver red leather T top.

Speaker B:

Oh, it was gorgeous.

Speaker B:

I was so mad.

Speaker B:

I am mad as an adult.

Speaker B:

When I grew old enough to realize what my dad sold, I was like, you son of a.

Speaker A:

Man, I still think I'd take a 67 Mustang over.

Speaker A:

Or a two door Ford Bronco.

Speaker A:

Love that.

Speaker B:

Ford Bronco's cool.

Speaker B:

And I don't care much about the Mustangs, but yeah, the Camaro's sexy.

Speaker B:

I'd want it not black, though.

Speaker A:

What other random thing pops into my head about this movie?

Speaker A:

I mean, even lastly, even the.

Speaker A:

The paper boy when he's falling off the mountain.

Speaker A:

Like, you just gotta love that.

Speaker A:

They just were like, I don't care if it looks real, throw them off the mountain.

Speaker A:

I'm like, one.

Speaker A:

If you fell that far, it's great that he did die, but he's.

Speaker A:

Yeah, he's dead because he fell like 200ft.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

And they just said, throw a dummy off the mountain.

Speaker A:

It looks good.

Speaker B:

Need my $2.

Speaker B:

Jesus.

Speaker B:

All right, Alec, what was your point?

Speaker C:

I was gonna say my favorite running joke with this is the.

Speaker C:

Is everybody asking if it's okay if they date Beth?

Speaker C:

Oh, and the one that gets me is the.

Speaker C:

Actually, the mailman's the one that I like.

Speaker B:

Oh, yeah.

Speaker C:

Because it starts off to see with him just dropping mail.

Speaker A:

Oh, yeah, whatever.

Speaker B:

Just.

Speaker C:

It's even like when he's sorting through, he just like, sort, you know, like.

Speaker B:

Oh.

Speaker C:

Yep.

Speaker C:

Nope, not this house.

Speaker C:

Drop, drop.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

I do love the scene when the teacher pulls out with her in the car.

Speaker B:

He just like, gives him the nod and drives away.

Speaker B:

Yeah, it's kind of funny.

Speaker A:

What's up with the stupid burgers in this movie.

Speaker A:

Hated the claymation burgers or whatever.

Speaker A:

That was like that.

Speaker A:

I don't know.

Speaker A:

That was.

Speaker A:

That was like Bill and Ted.

Speaker A:

Esther.

Speaker A:

It's like, all right, this is just too much.

Speaker A:

Like, this is dumb.

Speaker A:

This is really dumb.

Speaker B:

I think you get confused when you watch it.

Speaker B:

I'm giving up logic with you, my friend.

Speaker B:

Oh, God.

Speaker B:

I will say Curtis Armstrong is one of the funniest people ever.

Speaker B:

Like, I think he's so underrated.

Speaker B:

The dude that plays the best friend.

Speaker B:

Like, I think back every time I see him.

Speaker B:

Like, I.

Speaker B:

Like there's a.

Speaker B:

There's a show Casey loves to watch over and over and over and over and over the Closer.

Speaker B:

And it's a good show.

Speaker B:

It's fun.

Speaker B:

But he's in it in one of the later.

Speaker B:

In two of the later seasons or whatever.

Speaker B:

And he's an.

Speaker B:

Like, he's a bad guy, but he's bad Ish guy.

Speaker B:

But I love him regardless of the fact that he's a bad guy and he's a dick.

Speaker B:

It's.

Speaker B:

He's just funny.

Speaker B:

Like.

Speaker A:

And I was like, this is JJ.

Speaker A:

If he was like 10 funnier and a little weirder, this could be JJ if he was tripping balls all the time.

Speaker B:

That's fair.

Speaker B:

Maybe that's why I like him.

Speaker B:

Because these were.

Speaker B:

I'm like, that could have been me.

Speaker B:

God damn it.

Speaker A:

If we.

Speaker A:

If we just tweaked your.

Speaker A:

Your DNA percentage by like 5 to 10% and threw into more drugs, might be you.

Speaker A:

Not the worst.

Speaker A:

Where you'd be damn funny.

Speaker A:

You'd just be a little weird.

Speaker C:

Five to ten is a pretty big tweak.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

Say I am.

Speaker C:

He'd be a mushroom at that point.

Speaker B:

I think I am a. I am a little weird.

Speaker B:

And depending on who you ask, I'm kind of funny.

Speaker B:

But so I almost fit the bill and I. I'll stop there.

Speaker B:

I was gonna say, I think five.

Speaker A:

To ten's fair when we're talking about you, Alec.

Speaker A:

I wouldn't increase your you by any percentage because I'm afraid what would happen.

Speaker B:

As long as we're still friends.

Speaker B:

All up that as long as you're on my team, we'll still.

Speaker B:

Because the chaos could be interesting.

Speaker A:

One his only.

Speaker A:

His only line would be, they're on the podcast.

Speaker A:

I like Oshi.

Speaker A:

Everything else is a completely no holds bar.

Speaker A:

Like, well, I can't leave the podcast ever.

Speaker A:

I'm gonna die.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

Oh, I want my $2.

Speaker B:

$2.

Speaker B:

Yeah, I. I think.

Speaker B:

Listen, this is Another movie that I saw when I was a younger.

Speaker B:

When I was a kid, and I was even younger when I saw this one than when I saw the last one we did with say Anything.

Speaker B:

I. Yeah, because this one came out before.

Speaker B:

And I think it's funny too, because I'm pretty sure John Cusack looks older in this movie than he did say Anything.

Speaker B:

And maybe that's makeup and they made it that way, but I mean, the movie came out pretty sure, like four or five years before say Anything.

Speaker B:

But this movie, like, just makes no sense to me.

Speaker B:

And I think it's one of those things where I remember thinking as a kid, like, that it was really, really, really funny because I didn't have to pay attention because there was no story.

Speaker B:

You know what I mean?

Speaker B:

It was just like this dude having a time trying to get his girlfriend back that I'm trying to figure out why he wanted in the first place.

Speaker B:

And then I'm like, everybody else wants her.

Speaker B:

Go find one of these other girls that like any of them that nobody actually want, you know, like everybody in the movie.

Speaker B:

So as a kid, I was really confused because everybody talked about this movie like it was one of the funniest, greatest movies ever made.

Speaker B:

And it just was one that didn't stick with me even as a kid, as an adult, like, people talk about better off dead, and I'm like, I feel like I could go watch another John Hughes film and it would make more sense because at least there's a story and it's still funny.

Speaker B:

Ish.

Speaker B:

Alec, you know which movie I'm talking about.

Speaker B:

It's like a less off the wall, silly, not less known, just less goofy.

Speaker B:

But same story, pretty much St. Elmo's Fire.

Speaker B:

No, good guess, though.

Speaker C:

That's always my.

Speaker B:

Go to John Hughes with John Hughes.

Speaker B:

No, it's.

Speaker B:

Wow, now my brain just quit some kind of wonderful.

Speaker B:

So.

Speaker B:

But that's the 80s.

Speaker A:

The other funny part is I can't believe I forgot this line.

Speaker A:

The whole tree trimmer scene, that was so random.

Speaker B:

My dude.

Speaker C:

Totally, perfectly a white boy.

Speaker B:

Now that's a real shame of the.

Speaker A:

Folks if you're throwing away a perfectly good white.

Speaker A:

I was like.

Speaker B:

What?

Speaker B:

Dude, the 80s were different, man.

Speaker B:

You could say some back in the.

Speaker A:

80S, dude, that we need.

Speaker A:

We need humor like that today.

Speaker A:

That was funny.

Speaker A:

I was like, I did adult.

Speaker A:

I was like, wait, T, what did they just say?

Speaker B:

Dude, humor was different in the 80s, man.

Speaker B:

Our favorite saying was, sticks and stones, break bones, words will never hurt me.

Speaker B:

And that was real.

Speaker B:

Like, I come Home be like, mom, they said something.

Speaker B:

And my mom be like, shut up.

Speaker B:

Like, they just said some like, you can't be upset by words.

Speaker B:

It doesn't actually hurt you unless you let it.

Speaker B:

I'm like, that's fair.

Speaker B:

Which is why I'm okay making fun of myself and letting everybody else make fun of me, because it's just.

Speaker B:

It's just like, whatever.

Speaker B:

So, yeah, in the 80s, we said some in movies and TV and music that people are like, if you go back and watch.

Speaker B:

Dude, half the lineup of 80s movies, especially 80s comedies, dude, the.

Speaker B:

That goes on in those movies.

Speaker B:

People would be jailed today for the.

Speaker B:

That happens in those movies.

Speaker B:

Like Porkies.

Speaker B:

And what was the other one I was thinking about with As I was watching this, I was thinking about all these movies from the 80s that I watched when I was younger going.

Speaker B:

And I think about them now, and I'm like, there's no way.

Speaker B:

It's a science movie with Val Kilmer.

Speaker B:

Why can I not think of the name of this movie?

Speaker B:

Anyway, he does that one.

Speaker B:

There's like, Revenge of the Nerds.

Speaker B:

Are you me?

Speaker B:

Like, there's so much stuff that happens and is said in movies like this.

Speaker B:

So the fact.

Speaker B:

Yeah, but yeah, it's a great line.

Speaker B:

Can't believe you throw perfectly.

Speaker B:

Oh, God.

Speaker A:

That.

Speaker A:

That might be the funniest unexpected scene.

Speaker A:

I did not remember that.

Speaker A:

And I was like, wow.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

Real genius.

Speaker B:

Real genius.

Speaker B:

That's right.

Speaker B:

That's right.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

You can't.

Speaker B:

Like, God, dude, we ought to do just like a month of.

Speaker B:

We'd have to do it on Patreon, though, I think.

Speaker B:

But we.

Speaker B:

We should just do like a month of the rankest asked 80s movies that you couldn't get away with today.

Speaker B:

Because there's a lot.

Speaker B:

There is a lot.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

Better off.

Speaker B:

I don't even.

Speaker B:

I got nothing.

Speaker B:

I normally could talk my ass off about any movie.

Speaker B:

I got nothing for this one.

Speaker C:

I'm.

Speaker C:

I'm.

Speaker C:

I'm happy.

Speaker C:

I've never been happier.

Speaker C:

Everybody at home, you can flip your Bill and Ted calendar back for.

Speaker B:

It had been a while day since.

Speaker C:

It'S been mentioned on the podcast.

Speaker C:

It's now back to zero.

Speaker B:

I'm just glad it was me that got to mention it this time versus it getting thrown in my face all the time.

Speaker B:

And the more Madsen talks about this movie, the more I just go, what the is happening?

Speaker B:

The earth is on its axis right now.

Speaker B:

Like, blows me away.

Speaker B:

Blows me away.

Speaker A:

Not gonna stoop to your level, Jay.

Speaker B:

I'm telling you, I did this on purpose.

Speaker A:

I've had numerous podcasts.

Speaker C:

Would never.

Speaker A:

That's.

Speaker A:

I've.

Speaker A:

I've stated my case.

Speaker A:

I've won the war.

Speaker A:

I've finished the battle.

Speaker A:

I'm not even worried about it.

Speaker B:

It's just decisions, like, being made about who won what.

Speaker B:

Like.

Speaker A:

An angel visited me in the night.

Speaker B:

There you go.

Speaker B:

Well, a demon visited me in the night and that means the same to me as an angel visiting you.

Speaker A:

But you don't believe in angels and demons, so that's exactly my point.

Speaker B:

They both could come, have a party and tell me you won and I wouldn't believe it because they're not real.

Speaker A:

That's how God makes himself known.

Speaker A:

Into JJ's like, Matson was right.

Speaker A:

And he's like, oh.

Speaker B:

And that's why I don't believe anybody will tell me that Matson's right about comedy.

Speaker B:

Means I can't believe them with that.

Speaker B:

Alec, you got to start us on this rating of this weird ass movie you made us watch.

Speaker C:

Better off dead to two and a half.

Speaker C:

Right in the Middle of the Road.

Speaker C:

It is no substance, but it is a great time to watch.

Speaker C:

Although I think I had a better time talking about it with you two actually watching it.

Speaker C:

But it's got its moments, it's got bits, it's got good one liners, but then also some weird fucking shit like ski pole fencing.

Speaker C:

Never thought I'd see that in a movie, but they just decided to throw that shit in there.

Speaker C:

It's great.

Speaker C:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

Two and a half, Middle of the road.

Speaker B:

Nice.

Speaker B:

Matson, your turn, buddy.

Speaker A:

I'll give it a two and a half.

Speaker A:

Good, solid Middle of the road movie.

Speaker A:

I'll probably watch it again in my lifetime.

Speaker A:

In fact, I'm sure I will now.

Speaker A:

And just despite jj, I'll send him a picture and just say, I don't know comedy and what else to say about this movie.

Speaker A:

If you haven't seen it, this is a great movie to go watch with friends.

Speaker A:

You'll just be like, what happened in the 80s?

Speaker A:

And then you can listen to this episode and look at JJ and see exactly what happened in the 80s.

Speaker B:

Jesus Christ.

Speaker B:

The same movie, Matt.

Speaker A:

And on that note, my fellow listeners, as your resident man of the people chime into this comment section, I think we need a vote to see who's.

Speaker C:

The real man of the people.

Speaker B:

This is another mysterious angel delivering a calling to you, jj.

Speaker A:

I know what I'm about to say right here.

Speaker A:

Let a naysayer.

Speaker A:

No.

Speaker B:

Oh, geez.

Speaker A:

We're looking right at J.J. here.

Speaker A:

So chime in to the comments section.

Speaker A:

We'd love to hear from you.

Speaker C:

I don't want to hear from any of you.

Speaker B:

That's not true.

Speaker B:

Alec probably interacts more with our comments than anybody else.

Speaker C:

That is true.

Speaker B:

All right, I'm giving this thing a 2.

Speaker B:

I like John Cusack.

Speaker B:

That's about all I got for this movie.

Speaker B:

Other than some of the bits are pretty funny.

Speaker B:

A lot of the bits are funny.

Speaker B:

It just doesn't make sense.

Speaker B:

Like, it should have been a SNL sketch is what this should have been.

Speaker B:

It should have been like, let's take Better off Dead Week or Saturday.

Speaker B:

Right.

Speaker B:

And every one of these sketches is a Saturday Night Live sketch because there's no through line.

Speaker B:

None.

Speaker B:

There's.

Speaker B:

There's no.

Speaker B:

Other than the fact that the dude broke up with his girlfriend at the beginning, there's no through line for any of it.

Speaker B:

Like, there doesn't tie anything together.

Speaker B:

So, yeah.

Speaker B:

Which is a struggle for me underlying.

Speaker B:

Like, I have a hard time with no connective tissue.

Speaker B:

It's both these movies we've done so far.

Speaker B:

It drives me nuts.

Speaker B:

But, yeah, I mean, listen, it's still got funny parts, but it's another one.

Speaker A:

Bill and Ted is so connected.

Speaker A:

Like just a life lessons galore in that movie.

Speaker B:

I'm not talking about life lessons.

Speaker B:

There's a plot that runs from the start of the movie to the end of the movie.

Speaker B:

It runs from the start of the movie to the end of the movie, and it is always present.

Speaker B:

They may go a little wonky on occasion, but it's always there.

Speaker B:

This movie, outside of the fact that the dude's hating life because his girlfriend dumped his ass, which we forget about at least a half a dozen times in this movie, other than the fact that everybody else is taking her, doesn't.

Speaker A:

Affect that the movie's still funny.

Speaker A:

Bill and Ted's semblance of a plot line doesn't immediately make the movie funnier.

Speaker B:

I didn't say it was funnier.

Speaker A:

Felt like you were arguing to our listeners, like, let the record show.

Speaker A:

JJ's trying to go stonewall.

Speaker A:

Lawyer tactics, Raising his voice, talking faster.

Speaker A:

Just.

Speaker A:

You heard it here first, folks.

Speaker A:

I'm not leading you astray.

Speaker A:

JJ doesn't know comedy.

Speaker B:

This is the epitome of Matson right here.

Speaker B:

You're not hearing what I'm saying, sir.

Speaker B:

I'm saying they're both very funny movies.

Speaker B:

They're pretty much the same movie minus the plot.

Speaker B:

And you like one and not the other.

Speaker B:

That's the problem here, is you like one and not the other.

Speaker B:

They're the same.

Speaker B:

They're, you know, open up a cereal boxer.

Speaker B:

If it's pouring out of the pre early cutout label, they're pull coming out of the same box.

Speaker A:

Dude, but you listen, I'm gonna, I'm gonna have to side with JJ here because he is right.

Speaker A:

The moment he said Bill and Ted, I just started looking at JJ and thought he was dumb.

Speaker B:

That's right.

Speaker B:

That's right.

Speaker A:

Because we've already decided episodes ago.

Speaker A:

What is this?

Speaker A:

Probably like the eighth episode.

Speaker A:

We've gone to war.

Speaker A:

JJ doesn't know comedy.

Speaker A:

Like, let's just set the record straight and let it be shown again on whatever episode 400 or something.

Speaker A:

This is.

Speaker A:

I don't know how much longer I'll be doing this podcast, but I want our listeners to know JJ doesn't know comedy.

Speaker A:

And that's what needs to be said.

Speaker A:

Alec, tell them more.

Speaker A:

They can find us.

Speaker A:

Because jj, he just doesn't have any words left.

Speaker B:

Oh my God.

Speaker B:

Hold on.

Speaker B:

Wait there.

Speaker B:

Okay, so how's it going?

Speaker B:

Oh, you gotta go check out YouTube if you're listening, because that was funny.

Speaker B:

Alex.

Speaker C:

Happy to.

Speaker C:

Like JJ said, go to YouTube, check it out, then put in the comments.

Speaker C:

Who actually knows comedy because JJ just said that was funny.

Speaker C:

So you can, you can decide for yourself.

Speaker C:

I might not always win in the podcast, but I can always make sure that Madison and JJ loose and they're that by makes me the winner.

Speaker C:

But other than that, YouTube, best place to see us interact with our smiley faces.

Speaker C:

Leave a comment, I will make you regret it.

Speaker C:

Or Patreon.

Speaker C:

What's our verdict?

Speaker C:

Reviews.

Speaker C:

Get involved with our content selection.

Speaker C:

We put up categories every month.

Speaker C:

This month, second week of John Cusack month for October.

Speaker C:

We got two more weeks coming for you guys.

Speaker C:

We put up categories.

Speaker C:

You can vote for the which category you want, and then we provide movies that fit into said category.

Speaker C:

Hence John Cusack movies and John Cusack Month.

Speaker C:

It fits behind a small paywall.

Speaker C:

You can have access to nearly 600 episodes, or I should say, videos of extra content that range from bloopers, outtakes to giggle fits, and all the way up to full length episodes of movies that nobody should watch.

Speaker C:

Behind a larger payroll or paywall is the ability to make us watch movies that nobody should ever watch.

Speaker C:

There are some very weird motherfucking movies on that list, you know.

Speaker C:

Special thanks to our patrons Rich and Charles for being the catalyst for many of those movies that nobody should ever watch.

Speaker C:

You guys are awesome with that.

Speaker C:

I'll kick it back to the Titan of Terror, the Colossus of Clout.

Speaker C:

Oh, jj.

Speaker B:

Yes, sir.

Speaker B:

Thanks, Alex.

Speaker B:

Oh, that was funny.

Speaker B:

Was good.

Speaker B:

Good laughs with that, as always.

Speaker B:

We appreciate you tuning in.

Speaker B:

We'll catch you on the next one.

Speaker A:

This is a cathartic experience.

Speaker C:

Baby.

Speaker B:

Super magic.

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