Review of Better Off Dead... (1985) by Tanvir M — 25 Jun 2013

Starring an in-his-element John Cusack, there's no question why this one's still remembered so fondly today: it's a great embodiment of everything one could expect to see from a zany '80s teen-geared comedy.

Although Cusack plays his role with a typically dark slant (and many of the jokes are similarly themed), the film's general outlook is upbeat and silly, which makes for a tasty pairing. Occasionally it ventures too far into the realm of the absurd, such as the scene where Cusack's character daydreams a romancing pair of claymation cheeseburgers (which, naturally, pantomime to Van Halen), but it's also those dalliances into surrealism that provide many of its best moments.

Funny as both a dated glimpse at life in the mid-eighties and a timeless relation to teenaged heartbreak, it's enriched by a sweet romantic subplot and a vast array of colorful supporting characters.