MovieChat Forums > Flirting with Disaster (1996) Discussion > one of the best comedies of all time

one of the best comedies of all time

posted 20 years ago by newgirl12
43 replies | jump to latest

i could watch this movie a hundred times and still find something different to laugh at each time. there are some scenes that are so brilliant!!! the first "mother" they visit "well don't throw it", every line spoken by lily tomlin, lonnie's temper tantrums, alan alda's deadpan delivery of his wife's lsd talents "she's a great guide"..... the schlictlings were definitely the high point but there's so much to celebrate about this movie. i'm really surprised there aren't threads here.

"it's warm even"

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] BurgGurl 20 years ago

I absolutely agree with everything you've said but I have to correct one thing: It's Alan Alda who professes that Mary Schlicting is "an excellent guide", not Alan Arkin.

[–] Master_X_3_1_1 19 years ago

There was lots of stuff that should have been funny, but just didn't make me laugh, in this regard i guess it would be similar to scary movie 3.

[–] alviesinger 19 years ago

It really is one of the best and brilliant comedies. The script is so funny and the casting is just perfect. It never got the audience and prestige it deserved. But this happens to a lot of great comedies. "Flirting with disaster" will never be recognized by the "the masses".

[–] dpoliorcetes01 19 years ago

And what happened between this film and "I Heart Huckabees"? The complexity and sophistication of the comedy increased, but the delivery, energy and narrative tightness seemed to wilt from one film to the next.

[–] realangst 19 years ago

"And what happened between this film and "I Heart Huckabees"? The complexity and sophistication of the comedy increased, but the delivery, energy and narrative tightness seemed to wilt from one film to the next."

Are we talking comedies in general or David O. Russell comedies. I saw FWD when it first came out for its cast and was mildly amused. At a movie-on-video night with friends a few years later, I saw it again and was disappointed that others did not like it as much as I. Then after "I Heart Huckabees", I checked it out from the library and suddenly saw so much more. Today, I shared it with a friend who appreciates good, twisted humour within the context of a common story. We howled.

She now wants to see "I Heart Huckabees" which I have been raving about since I saw it twice last year. I can't wait to share that film with her.

2004 gave us two incredibly intelligent American comedies, "Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind" and "I Heart Huckabees". ESOTSM is sedate, IHH is broad. ESOTSM is narratively more tight but the energy in IHH is incredible. Mark Wahlberg should have been nominated for supporting actor for his off-the-wall fireman.

So I am unsure what the point was. Are you saying "White Chicks" is representative of the state of comedies overall or that Mr. Russell's return to comedy was lacking the verve of FWD?

[–] dpoliorcetes01 19 years ago

I made my comment only with respect to DOR films, rather than regarding the general state of contemporary movie comedies. Though I considered IHH to be an absolutely wonderful film, the humor was operating on too high a plane for me to follow with complete enjoyment (and that is not to say that I didn't "get it", or appreciate the humor, but the story was so labored and intellectual it would have been a tough act for any group of actors to follow). Maybe DOR should consult Robert Pirsig for his next film... :*)

[–] monocreif 17 years ago

I heart Huckabees is aptly described as a "metaphysical comedy", which I think is apt & accurate. A lot of the jokes are aimed at the inherent (and funny) arrogance of new age metaphysical philosophy. It's funny, but it's really strange. On purpose, I assume.
Flirting With Disaster, meanwhile, is just plain great madcap comedy. The jokes are broad & obvious, the cast is stellar & they deliver everything with fine precision. It builds beautifully (which IHH also does, but it's so subtle about it), and I love the way that the main couple are sort of patching things up while the rest of the cast spins out of control. Preston Sturges comes easily to mind, especially "The Lady Eve".
Meanwhile, when I showed this movie to friends recently, someone commented (favorably) about it's similarity to "Meet The Parents", which wants to be the same sort of breathless comedy of errors, but spends it's time abusing the cast & insulting the audience. It's hard to watch and unsatisfying. Flirting with Disaster, on the other hand, treats the characters as intelligent, flawed humans - all the stress comes from honest mistakes, not plot contrivance - and you know that, all things considered, our protagonists will be OK in the end.

[–] Luke_was_a_terrorist 9 years ago

Agreed about Wahlberg deserving a nomination

"We stayed up all night dry humping, it was awful, I think she gave me poison ivy."

[–] GoatFetus 19 years ago

What happened between this film and I Heart Huckabees was David O. Russell created what I feel is probably his best picture. I also thing I Heart Huckabees was much better than Flirting With Disaster.

[–] dogout43 18 years ago

Did anybody like "Spanking the Monkey?" I sure did. I hope it will be released on DVD someday.

Nice hopping.

[–] FizzyGillespie 18 years ago

"Spanking the Monkey" IS on DVD. Just saw it at Media Play a couple weeks ago. Great movie...but really icky. And nobody's mentioned "Three Kings." I thought that was extremely well done. Very timely. I think that David O. Russell and Noah Baumbach are two of our most underappreciated directors.

"A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin." -H.L. Mencken

[–] dogout43 18 years ago

Yes, actually since my last post, I have purchased the "Spanking the Monkey" DVD. I'm so glad it's finally out. How long did it take? About 12, 13 years?

Bless me, father, for I have just killed quite a lot of men.

[–] FizzyGillespie 18 years ago

11 years, yeah. It was an independent release in early 1994...video release in December of that year. I remember following the production of "Spanking the Monkey" back then. It was originally called "Swelter." Anyway, I was blown away by it. Not because it was a GREAT movie, I just thought it was a nice little victory for small-time filmmaking. I actually wanted to cast Jeremy Davies in something I wrote...like that's going to happen. I don't understand why he's not working more. Very talented guy. The one thing that's kept me from buying it is I don't know how often I'd want to watch it. Good movie...but like I said before...kind of disturbing. At any rate, I'm glad you found a copy.

"A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin." -H.L. Mencken

[–] badgirlbubby 18 years ago

This is my all-time favorite comedy and one of the only films that I can watch over & over.

You can't catch the wind!

[–] WarpedRecord 18 years ago

I'm a big David O. Russell fan, but I'm undecided whether I like "Flirting With Disaster" or "I Heart Huckabees" better.

I think I lean toward "Flirting," which is extremely well written, a gorgeous road movie, and full of quirky characters that keep taking the film in unexpected directions.

Of course, that describes "Huckabees" as well!

[–] ijones-9 18 years ago

I enjoy this movie immensely. Entertaining from beginning to end with a first rate cast.

[–] tooncesaaa 17 years ago

This movie is very under-rated. It's extremely well-written. I just love it.
I haven't seen I Heart Huckabees so now I'm looking forward to seeing it.

[–] pebblebeach3 17 years ago

wife and I loved this movie--watched it on DVD last night. We asked ourselfs how we missed this movie when it first came out. Very funny movie with an all star cast.
Chuck

[–] avavavavava 17 years ago

I disagree with you all and there is no way that this movie could be one of the best comedies of all time!

The whole movie is so lame. The armpit obsession grosses me out. I used to like Ben Stiller acting in comedy but now I changed my mind after this movie.

The only good thing is that I didn't pay to watch it in theater =)

[–] jkc4118 17 years ago

This was one of the worst movies I have seen. I didn't laugh at any part of it.

[–] gbennett5 17 years ago

This film wasn't a "hit" because it was - forgive me - "witty." This
film was like the great screwball comedies of the late '30s and '40s -
sardonic and wonderful.

Unlike most comedy films of today - which are more interested in
cheap sex/fart jokes - this film looked at what marriage means and
how important your PARENTS are - regardless of whether you're adopted
or not.

The laughs are based on CHARACTERIZATION (how often do you see THAT
in today's comedies?????????) and subtle timing and wit.

The only "disaster" is that this sophisticated romp wasn't a hit.

A true statement on the dumbing down of American taste.

'Nuff said.

[–] Clothes-Off 17 years ago

Well put, gbennett5. I think we're Flirting With Disaster people trapped in an Old School world.

[–] stkirkland 17 years ago

Wow. I wonder what your taste in "comedy" is. I thought this movie was brilliant. I've seen it probably 20 times. Most hilarious.

[–] rainofwalrus 16 years ago

/signed

brilliant film. up there with Caddyshack and The Jerk!

attention grammar-cops: you're not as smart as you expect from us.

[–] 16 years ago

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