This movie was a homework assignment when I took a film class about road movies so I've already seen it. I remember it was free on-demand and I watched it after I watched Sideways which was a really weird transition. That was one class I didn't mind doing homework for....except I didn't watch Mad Max 2 but I don't think I missed much.
Lost in America has been described as Easy Rider for yuppies, which coincidentally was another homework movie for that class. I love Dennis Hopper but that movie was insane. But I buy the description. It's about two people trying to shake up the status quo and be free. Except the hippies blow up and the yuppies end up right back where they started from (spoiler alert?). Did you know they were going to make an Easy Rider 2? I guess they didn't die in the fiery car crash afterall. I feel okay spoiling Easy Rider because it's been out for like 40 years, people. It's on youtube. But if you haven't seen Easy Rider yet you're probably not going to see Easy Rider. I only watched it because it was homework.
Enough about homework....was this movie funny? Yes it is funny. Albert Brooks is like Woody Allen meets Mel Brooks meets Jerry Seinfeld meets Larry David and Julie Hagerty has a funny voice. Hello Joyce? I mean just check her out in those Old Navy commercials these days (that's really sad actually). Julie Hagerty's classic role in Airplane has been reduced to selling colored jeans. I still love Old Navy though. Just Friends would have been on this list if it was made a little bit later. Just kidding, despite being hilarious, Just Friends is a terrible movie.
Road movies are all about the journey that the characters take not just physically but emotionally and mentally. I really like road movies so I'm glad to see a lot of them made the list.
However, I usually don't enjoy movies where things just go progressively more wrong to the point where you're just sitting there feeling embarrassed. I don't like feeling secondhand embarrassment. For example, I hate Dinner For Schmucks because Paul Rudd's life just gets continuously messed up by Steve Carell and it isn't really funny. When a comedy is done right, you're laughing and feeling embarrassed for the character. If you're not laughing, the movie just becomes awkward and sad. I felt that at times during this movie, however overall it's still a good comedy.
Funny-o-meter: 6/10. I suggest you watch Sideways on a separate day.
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