Review of Better Off Dead... (1985) by Troy F — 11 Mar 2016

I swear Better Off Dead just gets better every time I watch it. It's definitely a comedy of its time, with all its 80's-isms that are tropes of its time and comedies of that time, but its way of playing off of surreal comedy, irony, and deadpan nature make it so enjoyable to watch, and especially unpredictable for first time viewers.

Its also just filled with a lot of random ideas or ideas that far exaggerate reality. There's a few ideas and jokes that do work against themselves and come off cringe worthy (the claymation sequence, ugh, just too lame and silly), but what stands out is that this is a totally 80's comedy that isn't totally what it is just solely because of its time, the director plays on ideas that he could only get away with at the time.

Better Off Dead is a comedy that's cleverly dumb and goofy with its randomness and groaners, but it works better than most other comedies that were similar of its time.