Saturday Night Live was such a fertile breeding ground for this type of pop-friendly, quotable, digestible comedy in the mid 1990s. The very best amongst these could even give the old heartstrings a tug; no mean feat for a sub-genre that usually leaps from loud noises to broken furniture and back again.
Tommy Boy is one such marvel. There's nothing overtly groundbreaking or creative about the script - the boss's doofus kid inherits a family business, embarks upon a road trip, develops a close friendship and (eventually) finds his way - but, through Chris Farley's irresistible strength of personality, its value far outweighs the sum of its parts. Which, again, is a common trait among this era's SNL graduating class. Adam Sandler's breakthrough films walk the right side of idiocy due to the star's unique force of will. Wayne's World would be weak sauce, at best, without Mike Myers and Dana Carvey's side-splitting delivery.
This adventure is entirely a Farley playground, with just a few spicy, sarcastic segments set aside for his second-billed counterpart, David Spade. The two do have chemistry, which makes for good feelings when they finally work past their differences and unite against the common enemy, but Spade's acidic stylings are smartly limited to occasional counterpunches (or, sometimes, a well-swung 2x4). Farley just has so much energy, I'm not sure there’d be room for a partner of more equal footing. He dominates with jolly physicality, reels us in with heart-on-sleeve self-deprecation, even stings us with a few touches of tender sensitivity. By the end of the road trip, we've been through hell together and watched him grow up.
Tommy and company might not brave new horizons, but they still hold a special place in my heart. All the memorable bits still bring big laughs, an endless string of fondly-remembered phrases for those of us who lived through the film's first years, but it also handles enough emotional resonance to keep everything tethered to the turf. A fine night's entertainment.
Review by TheLazyReviewerBlockedParent2024-03-23T12:51:16Z
Film 137 (Goal: 300) of 2024:
Tommy Boy is a 90s comedy that completely escaped my knowledge up until a few years ago. I'm not even sure if ever really penetrated through to Australia, especially given distribution was so terrible in the 90s.
Tommy Boy sees Chris Farley as the titular Tommy, the loveable idiot son of a successful business man. However fortunes change quickly, after he unexpected passing of his father. Tommy is forced into the family business - with closure of the business looming. Accompanied by his colleague harboring animosity towards him (portrayed by David Spade), Tommy for the first time must step up as they go on the road to sell to clients, in an attempt to save the business and keep it in the family name.
My rating is almost entirely depending on Chris Farley. He's not perfect in this film, there's a lot of jokes that don't land, but he's doing a lot to charm you over. Farley has impeccable skills at getting the most out of every scene and not crossing the line into becoming overbearing. Everything around Farley, whether it's his co-leads, the script or the environments they're traversing, is working against the film. Without Farley this is ultimately a forgettable film. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't lift this into classic territory. It's not even great. But without Farley, this doesn't get a second mention. It's a shame we lost him so soon.