Sign Up | Log In

Write a Review
Post a Quick Tip
Create a List
Ask a Question
Create a Poll
Create a Community

Movies •Books •Music •Food •Tv Shows •Technology •Politics •Video Games •Parenting •Fashion •Green Living •more >

Lunch » Tags » Movies » Reviews » Funny Farm

Funny Farm

3 Ratings: 3.7

1988 motion picture starring Chevy Chase, Madolyn Smith and Kevin O'Morrison

Funny Farm is a 1988 film directed by George Roy Hill, starring Chevy Chase and Madolyn Smith. The film was adapted from a 1985 comedic novel of the same name by Jay Cronley. Chase plays a New York sports writer who moves with his wife to the seemingly … see full wiki

Tags: Movies, Comedy Movies

Genre: Comedy

Release Date: June 3, 1988

1 review about Funny Farm

Showing 1-1 of 1

Sort by:

Lamb Fries Are Delicious!

Apr 19, 2012

by tomtom13
posted in Movie Hype

Rating:

Released in 1988 and based off the best-selling novel of the same name by Jay Cronley, FUNNY FARM stars Chevy Chase as Andy Farmer. Andy is a sportswriter from New York who decides to retire and move to the country with his wife Elizabeth (Madolyn Smith-Osborne) to write his great American novel. The couple has purchased a home outside of Redbud, Vermont.

From appearances, Redbud appears to be a town straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting (a similarity distinctly mentioned later in the movie). However, the small, rural, Northeastern town has all the charm of the dysfunctional family from MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE. The local mailman is a drunk who by the time he gets to the end of his route at the Farmer residence he's so plastered that his truck is a rusty killing machine that will run over anything in sight. The local sheriff can't drive a car because he keeps failing his driving test, the pond at the Farmer residence is filled with giant snakes, and the Farmer's discover that one of the previous owners of their home buried a corpse in their flower garden. Andy tries to focus on writing his novel, but all he can seem to produce is a mish-mash of genres containing a mixture of clichés and tripe. On the other hand, Elizabeth puts pen to paper and discovers she's quite the storyteller and soon becomes a best-selling children's author. Her success and Andy's failure cause for some dramatic friction that leads to a crazy finale.

There are a lot of hilarious scenes. Two of my favorites are when Andy and Elizabeth first buy a dog and take it home and the other is when Andy becomes the new lamb fries champion at a local diner.

Acting-wise, Chevy Chase is at the top of his game here. Also, notable is Madolyn Smith-Osborne as Elizabeth who proves to be a great foil for Chase.

Compared to other Chevy Chase vehicles, FUNNY FARM is one of the better Chevy Chase-driven movies. It's not quite in the realm of the FLETCH movies, but it's just as good and has a similar feel as NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION. Both NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION and FUNNY FARM have threads of nostalgia woven throughout, but whereas NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION focuses on a family trip away from home, FUNNY FARM focuses on a journey to a new house and turning that house into a home.

There is some foul language in the movie which might offend some people. Personally, I didn't mind the language becomes it seems appropriate when it's used.

Also, it should be noted that FUNNY FARM was the last movie that George Roy Hill directed.

Overall, FUNNY FARM is a great comedy that most everyone in the family can enjoy. I wasn't even twelve when I first saw the movie in theatres with my parents and siblings. I thought it was funny then and decades later after re-watching it again for the umpteenth time, I find it just as funny.

What did you think of this review?

Helpful

Thought-Provoking

Fun to Read

Well-Organized