NoFace for Film

Title: Weird Science
Year: 1985
Director: John Hughes
Starring Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly LeBrock, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Bill Paxton
Rated: PG-13

NoFace for Film rating: 5 out of 7

I first saw Weird Science when I was only 9 years old, so I didn’t get a lot of the more mature jokes during that time. However, I did recall it being extremely funny, especially the scenes with Bill Paxton. So I Netflixed it a couple of weeks ago to see if it had stood the test of time. And while the fashion certainly is dated, the humor in my opinion hasn’t lost its touch.

Weird Science is the story of two puny, wimpy, nerdy social outcasts Gary and Wyatt (Hall and Smith). These guys are seriously pathetic and have no confidence in themselves. They’re picked on every single day by bullies (one of them a young Robert Downey Jr!), can’t talk to girls, and are terrorized by Wyatt’s abusive older brother Chet (Paxton).

One night the boys decide to create a virtual “girlfriend” (inspiration for The Sims, perhaps?) on Wyatt’s computer, but a mishap during a lightning storm led to their virtual girlfriend coming to life and entering the real world. Lisa (LeBrock, before she married and divorced that ponytailed melonhead Steven Segal) is the ultimate dream girl. She’s extremely beautiful, has a drop-dead gorgeous body, is very kind and considerate, is as intelligent as Albert Einstein, has the confidence of David Lee Roth, and cool magic powers. More like a den mother than a girlfriend, Lisa helps Gary and Wyatt regain their self-confidence by taking them on a wild adventure.

Now, as you can see, I’ve given this film quite a high rating. Yes, some parts are dated, but only in terms of fashion and technology. I got a kick seeing Wyatt’s “high tech” computer and the silly, Tron-like special effects. And yes, their clothes are seriously laughable. However, it’s still freaking hysterical. I could watch this several times in a row. My boyfriend and I were howling the whole time while watching it. As I mentioned earlier, the funniest scenes involved Paxton’s character Chet, Wyatt’s asshole, threatening, blackmailing older brother. It’s funny since I also recently watched U-571, which featured an older, very serious, and BORING Bill Paxton. He is truly at his best when he’s portraying a big asshole. Consider Aliens, True Lies, and of course, Weird Science. He only had a minor role in these films, but they were so memorable.

Granted, Weird Science isn’t on the same level as other John Hughes films, but I don’t think it was ever meant to be similar to those films. It’s a silly movie about teenage boys’ ultimate fantasies where weird and crazy stuff happens. At the same time however, Weird Science isn’t devoid of a story, for at the core is the idea of gaining one’s courage, confidence, and respect for one’s self.

If you haven’t seen this movie in a long time, check it out again sometime and relive the 80’s.

Technorati Tags: Weird Science, John Hughes, Kelly LeBrock, Anthony Michael Hall, Bill Paxton