Search

Funny Farm

1988, Movie, PG, 101 mins

Funny Farm: Review

starstarstarstar
If you happen to have seen any fish-out-of-water motion pictures in, say, the last 75 years or have by chance caught any television sitcom episodes (particularly of the "Newhart" variety) over the last decade or two, chances are excellent that you've seen every one of the gags in FUNNY FARM. Despite its title FUNNY FARM is not funny and doesn't take place on a farm, although it is about a couple named the Farmers (it should probably have been called UNFUNNY FARMERS). Directed by the often underrated Hill, this tale of a city couple that retreats to the great bucolic life of stars a relatively relaxed Chase as a yuppie sportswriter from Manhattan who moves with his wife, Smith, to the country to write the Great American Novel. This modern-day Mr. and Mrs. Blandings have bought their dream house in the middle of a heavenly plot of land that even has ducks in the pond ("Honey, we're duck owners!" Chase exclaims--really) and a delicate little sparrow that chirps outside their window. Little do the two realize, however, that they have descended into . . . Yuppie Hell. Comedy is a matter of preference, so it would perhaps be unfair to say that FUNNY FARM is not funny--especially as an inordinate number of film reviewers praised Chase's comic genius, Hill's slapstick direction, and the script's biting satire. The less-than-spectacular box office tallies, however, seem to suggest that most of America wasn't laughing. There are some nice jabs at the yuppie ideal of buying one's dreams, but the film's strong suit seems to be stringing together a number of familiar gags that are as predictable as night's following day. As for characterization and emotional complexity, there have been more insightful entries by the Three Stooges. Although it aspires to subversive social satire, FUNNY FARM seems little more than a dumb comedy more determined to make people guffaw than to think. leave a comment
Advertisement

Shop

Funny Farm 2010 Wall Calendar
Buy Funny Farm 2010 Wall Calendar from Amazon.com
From Time Factory (Calendar)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $12.99
Funny Farm
Buy Funny Farm from Amazon.com
From Warner Home Video (DVD)
Average Customer Review: nostarnostarnostarnostarstar
Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy New: $5.99

more Funny Farm products

Advertisement

Related Websites

You might be also interested in the following websites:

Most Popular TV Shows

  1. Dancing with the Stars
  2. The Game
  3. NCIS
  4. American Idol
  5. Wife Swap
more popular tv shows

Most Popular Celebrities

  1. Tiger Woods
  2. Pamela Bach
  3. Heidi Klum
  4. Jake Gyllenhaal
  5. Reese Witherspoon
more popular celebrities

Most Popular Movies

  1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon
  2. The Blind Side
  3. 2012
  4. Old Dogs
  5. A Christmas Carol
more popular movies

Top Videos

  1. The View
  2. Nip/Tuck
  3. V
  4. NCIS
  5. Family Guy
more top videos