AaronCapenBanner Howard Zieff directed this amusing comedy that stars Michael Keaton as Billy Caufield, a new inmate at the New York state sanitarium where he is admitted for observation. One day, his group psychiatrist decides it a good idea to take Billy and three other inmates(played by Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle, and Stephen Furst) into the city for a baseball game. While there, he is witness to a crime and hospitalized, leaving the four men on their own, looking for their doctor, and also being pursued by the criminals. How will these guys cope? Clearly inspired by "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"(there is a similar sequence in that film too) this film still works moderately well, with a good cast and funny scenes, even if it is predictable and unlikely.

Michael_Elliott Dream Team, The (1989) *** (out of 4) A semi-comic version of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST has Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst playing "mental patients" whose doctor takes them out of the hospital and on a trip to see the Yankees play. The doctor ends up attacked by some people and knocked out in a hospital, which means the four nuts are on their own. One of the most famous scenes from that 1975 film is when Jack Nicholson's character takes the other inmates out on a trip and this film pretty much takes that idea and runs with it. The all-star cast makes this thing worth watching even though there are some major flaws to be found here. To me we get some extremely talented comedians given a certain type of character to play and all of them nail their performances. Keaton plays the chronic liar who also has a violent side. Lloyd plays the biggest nut who doesn't realize he's crazy. Furst is so messed up no one really knows what's wrong with him since he won't speak. Then there's Boyle who thinks he's Jesus himself. Keaton is hysterical as the liar and he gets some really great moments where he tries to lie to the other three just to scare them. One scene has them in the Hudson Tunnel where he tries to make the guys think it's going to cave in. Another has them downtown where he tells them that the werewolves in WOLFEN were real and that they're in the same neighborhood where the real events took place. The way Keaton works these scenes are priceless and get the biggest laughs of the film. Boyle is also extremely good as the guy who thinks he's Jesus. All four work wonderfully well together and it's a lot of fun just seeing them act off one another. Lorraine Bracco has a brief role as Keaton's ex. What really hurts the film is that it runs 113-minutes and features a pretty boring subplot about a couple crooked cops being behind the doctors attack. The entire subplot takes up way too much time and the film at times treats that aspect so serious that it seems they're forgetting that we're watching a comedy. With that said, if you're a fan of the cast then you'll still want to check this one out.

FlashCallahan Mike is a tad delusional. Harry believes he's a doctor. Jack is an ad executive who believes Jesus is speaking to him. Albert is an adult who occasionally wets himself. When they are taken to a ball game by Dr. Weitzman they witness a murder and Weitzman is attacked and hospitalised. The four crazies find that Weitzman will be murdered as a witness and no one believes four mental patients. They have to both use and overcome their delusions in order to save the only decent doctor who is treating them, with both the police and the killers looking for them....I was Thirteen the first time i saw this movie, and i instantly fell in love with it. Having not seen in in nearly 17 years, i was very worried that one of my favourite movies as a child would not have the same effect now, than it did in 1992.Although it has dated quite a bit, it is still laugh out loud funny, and quite surprisingly touching in place. Understandably, the best parts of the film are when the four are bickering. It's consistently funny, and the lines are funny and never fail to raise a smile.Keaton is in full on wacko mode in this, and is probably one of his best forgotten roles. Lloyd can play straight and yet be hilarious, but carries the films most humanistic element. If the scene where he visits his wife and daughter doesn't bring a lump in your throat, you need your brain checking.it's a very sunshine orientated movies, with lots of quotable lines, and if you are feeling down, this is the sort of film you want to watch to brighten your day.it's very easy to watch, goes along quite breezily, and most importantly, never gets boring.highly recommended.plus Keaton has an amazing mullet.

anchoreddown Out of no-where at Best Buy I found this movie. Liking all four of the actors that play the characters in the nut house, I bought it.You basically have the baseball nut who can't talk, the imaginative one who can fib just about anyone, the doctor who is extremely tightly and the Son of God who walks around the institution naked.Put these four together and you get a riot of laughs.Personally, Christopher Lloyd and Michael Keaton are the funniest.Peter Boyle alone can take the show, no doubt. One of his funnier scenes is when he starts taking his clothes off in front of a church congregation AND thankfully was escorted out before he could finish.Stephen Furst I haven't seen as much and I have NOT seen Animal House yet. However I did see him in Midnight Madness and thought he did a good job.for comedy at its best and for something completely random, like Monty Python is, this is the movie for you