This movie still stands up. Window wipers trying to make money cleaning a phone booth being dragged on tow truck? Genius.
Police saying "shut the *beep* up' before an uncuffed Whoopie escaping from a police car? LOL.
Internet chat 10 years before it was a thing? This movie needs some serious respect.
Agree. I remember when this opened and it was considered to be yet another of Whoopi's consecutive box office-bombs. I first watched it on cable and it was...really good. I watch it about every 10 years and it's still good.
shareI, too, am glad to see this movie getting some genuine appreciation. No, I wouldn't say that it's "fine art" by any means. But, as others here have pointed out, it's rife with genuinely funny bits and dialogue, and Whoopi's charm and charisma really do elevate it.
It had a troubled production history, with multiple drafts of the script, multiple leading stars, multiple directors, and multiple producers involved, not all of which is listed on IMDb. The odds were a bit stacked against it with so much negative and unproductive development behind it. Then, when adding the variables of Whoopi's break-out success in THE COLOR PURPLE and highly acclaimed televised stand-up comedy routine just before the release of this film, it was perceived by many as though Whoopi's pearls were being cast before swine.
...but not all of us think this.
True, it's hardly convincing as a "spy movie," and has endless logic loopholes, "movie goofs," etc. Regardless, Whoopi really shines, and is no doubt aided by the equally fine sense of humor on display from director/comedienne Penny Marshall. I also suspect that, even with Marshall being brought into the process after shooting began, that Goldberg and Marshall perhaps had a good comic synergy that resulted in many of the savory funny moments that have since made it a cult favorite.
And also, while negative press would love to depict it as such, it was not entirely "unsuccessful" or "a box office bomb" as others would suggest. It did a decent theatrical take, and was a major cable favorite in the late 80's and 90's, and was also one of the most commonly purchased Fox catalog titles for a while in the 90's. And while Whoopi's success is most often associated with THE COLOR PURPLE and her Oscar-winning turn in GHOST, I also wouldn't have a problem believing that JUMPIN' JACK FLASH is perhaps her most personal and/or "uniquely Whoopi" performance. She's a delight throughout, silly plot mechanics or no, and is largely the reason for the film's beloved cult status.
And thanks to the original poster who noted the Thomas Newman score as well. Indeed, it's a very good "suspense lite" score, and makes a fine listen on its own. A shame that the original soundtrack album only featured a couple of excerpts. Let's hope Intrada or some similar label gets on that and sees fit to release the whole thing.