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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Clever Satire in "Meet the Applegates", 2 February 2005
8/10
Author: JordoP15 from United States

I couldn't disagree more with the other comment posted for this (unavailable..any body know of a release date for a DVD?) clever adult satire on the American dream and the life that accompanies it. Cockroaches are seen as one of the dirtiest bugs around, and what better metaphor exists than for them to be literally lurking right under the skin of a family that is awarded the 'Family of the Year Award'? The irony here is that slowly, the Applegates -the cockroaches we view as so beneath us- become corrupted by the vices of OUR urban culture: sex, drugs, greed, and selfishness, rather than the urban culture being infected by them. Yes, this film makes it's point lewdly, however, there is a gleeful self mocking absurdity that had me, even at 10 years old when I saw this movie, in stitches. If you are fortunate enough to encounter a copy of this film, I highly suggest you check it out. That is, if you can understand and appreciate clever satire.

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Amusing mix of eco-comedy and satire on American `normal', 13 November 2003
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

Angered by a logging company encroaching deep into their natural forest, a family of large insects camouflage themselves as humans and blend themselves into a small American town. Dick gets a job with the nuclear power plant in order to sabotage it and wage war on the human population. However the family finds that their attempts to blend in are working a little too easy and they endanger their own mission.

Despite being a little too gory for my tastes, this comedy is actually quite sharp in it's main satire on American life. The main joke for me was the way the family of bugs are sucked into the lifestyle of American mores – the mother gives in to commercialism, the son to drugs, the daughter to teenage sex and the father to adultery. It's comical to watch their descent and works pretty well. Where's it's all going is less clear and the message is not so clear in regards whether becoming `normal' is for the best or not. What is clear is the eco message which pokes fun at those who would make war on nature (whether bug or human) without respect for other life forms.

For a 90 minute film it all works pretty well and is actually quite imaginative. The gore put me off a little, in the gore of the eggs and bugs generally and I would have preferred if they had just had the bugs without all the slime and stuff. The cast do a good job carrying the material – their performances generally help keep up the mood of weirdness! Begley Jnr and Channing are both good in the leads – each giving in to their human environment. The kids are OK but the best performance is an outrageous performance from Coleman as the queen of the species – complete with full drag and moustache!

Overall this never quite delivers as many laughs as it's clever and funny pitch but it is still worth a watch. It has a surreal picture book image of `normal' America that it slowly explodes. For me, you could take or leave the eco message and still enjoy the film. Not great but different enough to be worth a try.

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
"You homosapien scum!" Clever, entertaining & really good fun, I liked it., 18 May 2005
8/10
Author: Paul Andrews (poolandrews@hotmail.com) from UK

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Meet the Applegates, there's the head of the family Richard Applegate (Ed Begley Jr.) also known as Dick, his wife Jane (Stockard Channing) & their two teenage children Johnny (Robert Jayne as Bobby Jacoby) & Sally (Camile Cooper as Cami Cooper). The Applegates at first glance appear to be a normal middle class American family when they move into a quiet suburban town somewhere in Ohio to all their new neighbours & friends. But in reality the Applegates are in fact giant cockroach type insects from the Amazonian rain forests disguised as humans. These giant insects are fed up of us humans chopping down their home, polluting the planet & having no respect or regard for the Earth & it's other inhabitants, fair enough... Dick talks himself into a job at the local nuclear power plant & plans to cause a meltdown, the Applegates & their species then hope the resulting radiation leak will wipe out the entire human race & leave the insect kingdom to live in peace. At first things go extremely well & their plan works perfectly but soon enough the pleasures & peril's of everyday American life begin to have an effect on their family unit & their plans. First Sally has sex with Vincent Sampson (Adam Biesk) whom finds out that she is a giant cockroach so Sally cocoons him & takes him home which causes problems as Vincent is the son of one of the Applegates neighbours, Greg Sampson (Glenn Shadix) who is a bug exterminator. Johnny gets involved with two dope smoking twins, Kevin (Philip Arthur Ross) & Kenny (Steven Robert Ross) & becomes addicted to dope himself. Jane can't stop buying things on credit, Dick has an affair with his secretary Dottie (Savannah Smith Boucher) & gets himself fired from the nuclear plant. Their carefully thought out plans & the very existence of their species lay in tatters as living an everyday American life has all but destroyed them, but others of their kind are on the way...

Co-written & directed by Micheal Lehmann I thought Meet the Applegates was a highly original & very enjoyable comic horror. The script by Lehmann & Redbeard Simmons really hits the nail on the head with it's witty & satirical look on middle class American life. I loved the scene where Jane wouldn't have sex with Dick so he finds a picture of two insects having sex & masturbates, or the scene when Johnny questions if smoking dope is safe & his two spaced out friends say "we do it all the time" "and look at us", in fact Meet the Applegates is full of great individual scenes. The Applegates descent from the perfect American family into the emotional wrecks they ended up as was just spot on for me & although obviously the story is pure fantasy it seemed almost believable. It has considerable charm, the themes & issues that it raises & tackles are handled well & it manages to both tell a story which at the same time has a strong message & manages to entertain. Meet the Applegates is rather silly when all said & done but if you want something a little different & you are able to just go with the bizarre notion of giant cockroaches disguised as humans then you should be rewarded with a great viewing experience, the ending was a bit of a cop out though. The creature effects by Kevin Yagher are generally impressive & the bugs looked both quite cute & creepy at the same time. The transformation scenes are pretty good as well. The acting is pretty much spot on from everyone & all the characters are likable except Johnny Applegate & Aunt Bea (Dabney Coleman) who both irritated me. Meet the Applegates is generally very well made with nice production values & nothing really to complain about. Overall I really liked Meet the Applegates, it's a very original piece of storytelling that definitely stands out as being just that bit different which makes a nice change. I wholeheartedly recommend Meet the Applegates & urge anyone to at least give it a go if you get the opportunity.

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4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
a strange little gem, 19 August 2001
Author: dead262 from Gainesville, FL

I highly recommend this film to all. For some unexplainable reason I'd call this film a mixture of Tim Burton and John Waters (although neither of them have any association with it) For instance, if you are a fan of Beetlejuice & Mars Attacks (Burton) or Cry-Baby & Serial Mom (Waters) this film is definitely up your alley. This film has the subtle strangeness of Burton and the sick humor of Waters. That's all I can really say. The movie is hilarious (as are the 4 films mentioned above) in its own twisted little way.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
They are a modern stone-age family...or is it modern age?, 17 January 2008
9/10
Author: Andy (film-critic) from Bookseller of the Blue Ridge

"The Applegates" can easily be considered a cult classic for three obvious reasons; a strong cast, a powerful story, and moments that will remain in the chambers of your brain. To begin, the cast is amazing. Director Michael Lehmann,, who also directed a personal favorite film called "Heathers", knows how to make a socially viable comedy that doesn't feel dated or tired. Watch "Heathers" again after watching "Fight Club", and you will see the possible similarities between two films made two decades apart. He made this film using strong actors that typically would never be paired together at all. Who would have imaged I would be sitting here, typing on the computer, indicating to you that I deeply enjoyed a film starring Ed Begley Jr. and Stockard Channing – or even the fact that Dabney Coleman was mixed in there as well?!? This is a first for me. "The Applegates" worked because the cast wasn't fighting from within. They were working together to create comedy (yet again another concept that seems to escape modern cinematic farces), they played off of each other, building their small character into something believable and witty for the greater good – the movie! It was impressive to watch them implode together, but it was equally as fun to see them outside of their element on their own. Begley was dry and perfect for his role as the master-in-command bug, while Channing went through this amazing transformation from modest housewife to spending madman. The same can be said for the two children, which go from bright and sunny to dark and sadistic midway through the film. The human elements that invade these bugs' lives are over-developed for this film, but they work impressively well. These Applegates, as well as the actors that portray them, prove to humans that even if they come to us, we will still destroy their sense of what is right or wrong.

"The Applegates" used a powerful technique for keeping this film easy on the eyes. It used the K.I.S.S. method that I believe helps comedies reach a higher level of repeated viewings. The "Keep It Simple Stupid" was applied to this film by merely saying that these bugs were going to nuke a small town in the United States. There wasn't a fear of technology, over-analyzing, or future consequences – and with a film like this, we didn't need it. I wanted to laugh, bring in thoughts of what is destroying our world, and see a film that was fresh and genuine; and I was able to see it with "The Applegates". The story was superb. It was funny and poignant all at the same time. The cast, which I have already applauded, makes this story come to life and seem more emotional than your typical big-budget cast with over-hyped budget. This was a simple story, and due to the simplicity of the tale, my attention was focused and this film was enjoyed. Where else could you not question Dabney Coleman dressed as "Aunt Bea"?

Finally, the message that Lehmann was trying to release was clear. There are problems in the United States whether we would want to blame them on outside influences or not, we have issues with underage pregnancies, drug use, over-spending, and adultery (perhaps every country does – but we seem to engulf it further). This film exploits them on a group of bugs that gain our sympathies and force us to root for them when they are down. Comedy is the tool used to show us our flaws, but our laughter is not "HA HA HA", but more of a "ha" as we consider our own lives within these bugs. Metaphors abound, we feel sad for these Applegates as they begin to falter in their mission because we are causing the failure. Our obese lifestyles are killing these bugs, and Lehmann isn't afraid to show us that to our face.

Overall, I thought "The Applegates" was yet another strong film released by Michael Lehmann. It was sharp, witty, intelligent, and hysterical as this group of bugs learns what it is like to truly be human. It is a sad story of our human lives, wondering if others would ever watch this film and see us in such a light, one can only wonder. It is a passionate story, with a cast that will truly surprise you and make you question your own choices in life. While it was released during a time where there was heightened fear of the destruction of the Amazon forests, while we battle today with the issue of Global Warming – the two seem to pair well – like a glass of white wine with a chicken salad. "The Applegates" remains a poignant film, and I hope that it will one day see the light of DVD. It needs to be seen by more, as we laugh, these issues need to be addressed. HA. Dabney Coleman dressed as "Aunt Bea". HA! I can't seem to get that out of my mind!

Grade: ***** out of *****

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Entertaining sci-fi comedy., 19 December 2005
8/10
Author: StormSworder from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

In the wilds of Brazil, as yet more rainforests are being cut down to make way for burger bars and other such makers of food which doesn't taste as nice as the little cardboard boxes it comes in, an unknown species of giant bug finds a children's 'Learn to Read' book which contains pictures of the 'ordinary' family. In no time, the outsized mantids are disguised as a human family and are on a mission to cause a nuclear disaster which will wipe out humanity.

Though this film does have serious things to say about ecology, it is also a black comedy about the seedier side of families and married life. It captures hilariously such subjects as teenage rebellion, credit card shop-a-holics, sexless marriages and even political topics like the paranoia surrounding 'reds under the beds'. Alright, so some of the subjects tend to verge on the tasteless (and I don't think date rape is really something to laugh about), it's still a very entertaining sci-fi/comedy.

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Michael Lehmann: Beloved American Psycho, 2 February 1999
9/10
Author: anonymous from munich

There isn't much I could add to Tom's comment, except that for an European it is so refreshing to see an American director really make fun of America and Michael Lehmann definitely is always doing an excellent job at just that. That's probably why he still hasn't made any box office-hit, despite the fact that, in my humble opinion he still has to make a bad movie. Yes, I and many of my friends even loved Hudson Hawk ("Sssh, You're embarrassing your country!"). And Meet the Applegates is one of our all time Party-Favorites.

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Amusing Little Skit.. Despite My Skits on It !, 19 October 2008
Author: ahmed elshikh (ahmed_abd_elreheem@yahoo.com) from Egypt

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

OK, so the suburban families as the American perfect middle class are cockroaches, NO, lower than cockroaches.. As the cockroaches themselves are more regular, less lustful, and real truthful, united unlike the lousy human race !

It's fun and bold satire that had been done as a little skit which was a cross between black comedy and gory horror. Although it got its talented inner sarcasm, and its superficial coherence, but it also got some funny and bold weak points :

How in god's name did they, the cockroaches, transform into humans ? Organize as a military and intelligence ? Put a complicated plane ?? How they happen to be this size as bugs in the first place ? And now be ready for the big one : how could they build their earth after the end of the humans since the nuclear explosion would destroy them and the humans together ??!!

Actually, being such an obvious satirical skit may not allow it to be that easy (or stupid !) but treat it in well-meaning behavior like it does with its cases.

I loved the perspective to look into materialistic society urges addiction (drugs, sex, shopping, etc..) with no way to admit any of its faults (hide it is the best way), so how we all such a monsters masquerading as happy ideal "family of the year" kind of huge lies ! It was truly painful as well as ironic watching the scene of receiving the honorable award like the best of this community is its worst, and the falseness is on. Look at its deeper meaning : the human body oozes inferiority and degeneration yet with some cockroaches' ethics every thing would go right. I told you earlier it's the movie where the human must emulate the more perfect creatures : the bugs ! what an acrid criticism for a movie that is.

(Stockard Channing) exceeded everybody, (Ed Begley Jr.) was good but lacks charisma and looks always cold plus he didn't add anything to his role, (Dabney Coleman) was disgusting for no reason but being odd ! The special effects weren't bad at all according to the movie's condition as so Independent Film. Aside from not making a real comic situations (just scary or sardonic ones) the scriptwriters just skipped (rather escaped from) writing very important scene in which the family return to their origin at the jungle in a reunion for more connection and peace after the hard clash where the hidden truths uncovered.. As all what we've seen was couple of naive silent shoots ! Maybe the writers don't know the cockroaches' language ?!.

When I first watch it, I didn't know the year it came from, but I guessed the 1980s, so initially I thought how it might be so mean metaphor for the Soviet communists ! But thank god, as it moved on I discovered it was something more balanced and sane.

Well.. With so zerotic budget, it handled itself fine. True, it canceled the imagination a bit since it considered itself kind of adult comic-book mainly to deride, yet despite everything it got wicked meanings and a way-of-its-own enjoyment.

After 2 years there was (Coneheads - 1993) another similar joke, and although it was more imaginative but wasn't as dark and malicious as this one. (Meet the Applegates) will be memorable not for its strength or comedy but for its wild outrageous metaphor.

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Fun for a silly evening., 25 January 2002
9/10
Author: ChrystinP from USA

This is an extremely silly, fun movie. It is strictly a spoof and is great fun to watch some excellent actors not being so serious. Parents of children under 12 or so may not want their kids to watch it because of sexual content.

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A family movie with a difference, 16 October 1998
Author: Tom Earnest (tomx01@aol.com)



Director Michael Lehmann's second movie which takes a very witty look at the typical suburban American family, in all its cliched glory. The plot is fairly straightforward, though bizzare to say the least. A group of Brazilian rain forest bugs, threatened by industrial development take on human form in order to blow up a nuclear power station as a warning. In order to do this they have to become a typical American family to provide cover for their agenda. However, they soon realise that there is no such thing as the perfect family and very quickly things start to go wrong.

The dialogue is sharp, witty and always amusing, although the directors attempt at a screenplay is not a patch on that of Dan Waters who wrote his first movie Heathers. Overall, a very overlooked and forgotten movie which deserves praise for the amount of mileage the director got from a small budget and a mediocre script.

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