Tommy Boy

Chris Farley's tragic career closely mirrored that of John Belushi's: fame on Saturday Night Live, an aversion to healthy pursuits and a young death at the age of 33. But Farley never had the Blues Brothers or Animal House-style success of his more famous contemporary, and most of his films disappeared quickly from view. This is about the best of the bunch, a big, dumb comedy about Farley's attempts to save the family business from gold-digger Bo Derek. His Saturday Night Live partner David Spade is an ideal foil, there's a helping hand from Belushi's old chum Dan Aykroyd and Rob Lowe gets another chance to send himself up (à la Wayne's World). Subtle it ain't, but there are enough gross moments to raise a few belly laughs.

A farce that grows increasingly dim as two television comedians (from Saturday Night Live) flounder helplessly with a witless, cliché-ridden script.