Review of Tommy Boy (1995) by Timothy S — 30 Dec 2011

To this day, "Tommy Boy" ranks as one of the best "Saturday Night Live"-to-feature-films transition any cast member has ever made, and that includes the series in its heyday in the late 70's. Chris Farkey came up with some of the best characters and appeared in some of the most memorable sketches during his tenure on "SNL", and his big screen debut is a real winner too.

This is a sweet-natured comedy, but that doesn't mean it shies away from the grown-up laughs because they're here as well and they're hilarious. It only means that this film has a heart that is sorely lacking in the films of other alumni like Rob Schneider and Adam Sandler. And he is given the perfect foil in the likes of sarcastic David Spade. He's perfect in his role as well, and he's never gotten a role as good as this one since. The two of them are great friends, and that is so evident in every single scene here, and that's another big reason this film works so well.

The movie is full of big laughs and lines of dialogue that are still worth quoting today. It obviously owes a lot to "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", but the film is so likable you won't mind the familiar, predictable story. Spade and Farley make the movie they're own, and the supporting cast is good as well, most notably Brian Dennehy and Julie Warner.

Even when you're not laughing out loud, "Tommy Boy" will have you smiling from ear to ear. It's a wonderful film.