FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Scott LeBrun In his second feature with Savage Steve Holland (after "Better Off Dead"), actor John Cusack plays "Hoops" McCann, who's nicknamed that way because it's presumed that he'll play basketball for a living like his old man. But he'd really rather be a cartoonist. After he and his best friend George Calamari (Joel Murray) graduate from high school, George decides to try lifting Hoops' spirits by inviting him to Georges' family's home on Nantucket Island. Hoops makes the best of things, finding one thing that he likes about the location in aspiring pop singer Cassandra Eldridge (Demi Moore). Unfortunately, a piece of property belonging to Cassandra's family is due to be taken away from her by scheming developer Aguilla Beckersted (Mark Metcalf). So Hoops does everything that he can to help her out, with the help of bumbling twins Egg and Clay Stork (Bobcat Goldthwait and Tom Villard).Holland can't help but fail to quite match the inspired zaniness of "Better Off Dead" with this sophomore effort. Overall it's just not as funny or as fresh. Of course, that doesn't mean that there aren't some great moments. Certainly the location is one big plus, and it's gorgeously shot by Isidore Mankofsky. Holland does include some amusing animated sequences, which he did himself. The characters are all pretty well defined, the heroes and the villains alike. (The villains aren't exactly subtle.) Cusack is engaging in the lead, and Moore is appealing as his love interest. Supporting players Murray, Curtis Armstrong (who plays a very non-"Booger" like role here), Goldthwait, and Villard are a hoot to watch; Goldthwaits' spastic shtick reaches a real zenith here. Metcalf and Matt Mulhern as his thuggish preppy son are guys whom you will love to loathe. And there are an incredible number of other familiar faces in the cast: Laura Waterbury, John Matuszak, Jeremy Piven, Billie Bird, Joe Flaherty, William Hickey, Taylor Negron, Rich Hall, Donald Li, and Rich Little.There are some delicious gags scattered throughout, such as the obvious spoofs on "Jaws", but best of all is Goldthwaits' big Godzilla scene. It's hilarious and is the highlight of the movie. Clearly Holland was enjoying himself coming up with such ridiculous character names.Never overly crude, this is an amiable "feel good" feature that, while rather predictable at its core, is still rather hard to resist.Seven out of 10.

edwagreen This is beyond stupid. Two high school graduates travel to Nantucket for the summer and find situations there that are absolutely revolting.Demi Moore co-stars in this one. As the film was in 1986, was Ashton Kutcher just a babe in the woods at that time?Moore's grandfather has died and his home is on the verge of being sold to ruthless people with a father and son who bring a new meaning to the term mean.Bobcat Goldthwait, with that obnoxious voice is in the film, as well as two brothers, who make dumb and dumber look more and more intelligent.The writing is absolutely ridiculous. Highlights of the stupidity are where one person says to the other: "Did you ever notice that when people die, they go alphabetically in the papers?" I rest my case.

kittiwake-1 This is the follow-up creation to Better Off Dead. In a competition, Better Off Dead would win hands-down. But for star power, One Crazy Summer outshines Savage Steve's better script. Problems with One Crazy Summer (OCS): casting. Better Off Dead (BOD) was cast so much better. Friendship: OCS shows Cusack giving hateful looks to Bill Murray's little bro. Trouble on the set?? More outrageous friends in OCS, but more genuine friends in BOD. Plot was good. You'll predict some of it, but even the predictable parts go further than you think they could. So, even though this is Better Off Dead's ugly stepsister, it's worth a look. See Demi Moore before the plastic surgery if for no other reason. John Cusack fans, you gotta see it, just to say you have. If you don't like Bobcat Golthwaite, I'm sorry. I don't like him either, but you can't escape him in this one. At least he does a great job in the film doing a tribute to another movie monster. Editing needed help on the beach, but for most part, not much to complain about. Overall, it's good and funny. But try not to compare it to BOD or you'll find it lacking. *sigh*

MisterFahrenheit A very funny, warm hearted movie, it never fails to make me laugh when watching it. A shame it was never a bigger hit considering so many absolutely awful films did better. All the actors were brilliant in their roles. John Cusack, among a few of the others, has gone on to bigger films but for my mind, this is one of his best, along with Grosse Pointe Blank and Better Off Dead. Some great scenes, terrific lines and an explosively funny finale. The commentary on the DVD by Savage Steve Holland, Bobcat Goldthwaite and Curtis Armstrong is terrific as well. There's not many films you enjoy in your teens that you still love in your thirties and onwards, but this is one of them for me. A true gem.