I'm kind of stuck. Half of this movie is the most hilarious I have seen this decade, the other half I could very well have lived without.
"Crazy People" talks about two types of nut cases: ones that are committed to institutions and the others who think they are normal and live on the other side of the wall. Of course, the main crux of the story is when Moore's life takes a nose-dive and he cracks, writing brutally savage ads for some very well-known products ("Quaker Oats - How does it taste? Who knows, but at least the BOX is cute"). Of course, nothing tops the tag line he makes for that horror movie "The Freak" or the ticket lady's comment about this movie later on.
His bosses put him away and then, when his printed ads catch fire and turn advertising on its ear, they recruit him to write more. Only this time, he gets the others in the asylum with him to write ads, too.
Now, this part is funny.
What isn't funny is when they start to take the story seriously and try to shoehorn drama into parts where it doesn't make every single person out as some level of wacko. Drama has its place but not in a movie that takes potshots at Metamucil.
Moore is really great, this is his last really funny role since "Arthur". Reiser has some good scenes as does Hannah, Walsh, Paymer and Ruehl and then there's the ads. My gosh, has there ever been anything ever written as funny as these? Not since "Mad Magazine", really.
"Crazy People" is at least half great; the craziest things in it, though, are the people who thought it should have serious parts.
Five stars for "Crazy People" - watch it for the ads.
"Crazy People" talks about two types of nut cases: ones that are committed to institutions and the others who think they are normal and live on the other side of the wall. Of course, the main crux of the story is when Moore's life takes a nose-dive and he cracks, writing brutally savage ads for some very well-known products ("Quaker Oats - How does it taste? Who knows, but at least the BOX is cute"). Of course, nothing tops the tag line he makes for that horror movie "The Freak" or the ticket lady's comment about this movie later on.
His bosses put him away and then, when his printed ads catch fire and turn advertising on its ear, they recruit him to write more. Only this time, he gets the others in the asylum with him to write ads, too.
Now, this part is funny.
What isn't funny is when they start to take the story seriously and try to shoehorn drama into parts where it doesn't make every single person out as some level of wacko. Drama has its place but not in a movie that takes potshots at Metamucil.
Moore is really great, this is his last really funny role since "Arthur". Reiser has some good scenes as does Hannah, Walsh, Paymer and Ruehl and then there's the ads. My gosh, has there ever been anything ever written as funny as these? Not since "Mad Magazine", really.
"Crazy People" is at least half great; the craziest things in it, though, are the people who thought it should have serious parts.
Five stars for "Crazy People" - watch it for the ads.