Funny Farm

source: Funny Farm

Trailer—Funny Farm

Funny Farm

This Chevy Chase vehicle moves along agreeably most of the way, occasionally takes off with some laugh-out-loud-gags (like the sequence involving the bridge), other times disappoints with misfired jokes, generally keeps you lightly amused until it suddenly takes a wrong turn towards seriousness halfway through, and leads to an ending that, at least to me, seemed predictable, fake and pathetically hypocritical.

Old School Chevy Chase in a serious of home related pratfalls and antics? Yeah, I'm game for that. None of this feels original at this point but with the right talent involved it's still a good time. I definitely laughed a few times watching this and it's hard to deny the command Chase had of the craft. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you can find it streaming somewhere.

FUNNY FARM (1988) *** Chevy Chase, Madolyn Smith. Amusing comedy with a married couple from NYC who seek solace in picaresque Upstate New York and wind up in a "Twilight Zone" of crackpots. Surprisingly Chase in low-key mode makes it even more entertaining than it ought to be.

Arguably the best film Chevy Chase made. It's a laugh riot from start to finish with Chevy, as Andy Farmer, gets into all sorts of mischief imaginable. Andy's a big city newspaper writer looking to settle down in the country with his wife and to finally write the great American novel. He never expected country life to be so difficult. From a crazy postal delivery driver to the body of the former owner being found in the backyard. The film is a great watch for any fan of comedy or Chevy Chase. The addition of Alice Drummond as Mrs. Dinges, the curator of the local antique shop, she's a hoot.

This is my favorite Chevy Chase film for several reasons. Here they are: 1.) I love the scenery in the movie--Vermont, four distinct seasons, gorgeous Cape Cod house. 2.) I love and can totally relate to the story line. When I first saw this movie, I was in college and playing tennis on the tennis team. We traveled to a city where EVERYTHING went wrong--and, the people were just plain weird. I saw this movie, and I totally empathized with Andrew and Elizabeth Farmer! 3.) The humor in this movie is not over the top as it is with some of Chevy Chase's other films--everything is believable, and it's all very funny. 4.) I want a yellow dog!!! The yellow labrador in this movie will make you want one of your own! My only complaint with this film: The DVD version is not in Widescreen, and there are no special features. But, for $5.88 in the Wal-Mart cheap bin, YOU CANNOT GO WRONG. This is an excellent movie to watch over and over again.

I like the bit where the post man just throws the mail out the window and drives off

Not only one of the funniest Chevy Chase films, but one of the funniest comedies of the 80s in general. I don't get all the negatives posted here--this movie is laugh-out-loud funny and very underrated. The townspeople are hilarious and the whole sequence at the end where Chevy and his wife are paying people to be on their best behavior, creating a "Norman Rockwell" portrait of small-town life so they can sell their house, is among the most inspired and funny sequences ever. The whole battle of the sexes between Chevy and wife Madolyn Smith (whatever happened to her? she's beautiful and has great comic timing) when she's successful writing a children's book, while he can't get his crime novel off the ground, is more classic material. Goodness knows Chase didn't get very many chances to shine--besides Caddyshack and the original Vacation, this is probably his best work.