AIRHEADS (director: Michael Lehmann; screenwriter: Rich Wilkes; cinematographer: John Schwartzman; editor: Stephen Semel; music: Carter Burwell; cast: Brendan Fraser (Chazz), Steve Buscemi (Rex), Adam Sandler (Pip), Amy Locarne(Kayla), Joe Mantegna (Ian), Michael McKean (Milo), Ernie Hudson (Sgt. O’Malley), Nina Siemaszko (Suzzi), Judd Nelson (Jimmy Wing), Marshall Bell (Carl Mace), Chris Farley (Wilson), David Arquette (Carter), Michael Richards (Beech), Reginald E. Cathey (Marcus), Harold Ramis (Chris Moore); Runtime: 91; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Robert Simonds/Mark Burg; Twentieth CenturyFox1994; )
“A dumb comedy.“ Reviewed by Dennis SchwartzA dumb comedy weakly helmed by Michael Lehmann (“Heathers”/”Hudson Hawk”) and written by Rich Wilkes. It’s horrendous, mindless and mean-spirited. The goofy slapstick comedy lacks the right material for it to work as a satire. Three failed LA rockers in the band called The Lone Rangers, frontman Chazz (Brendan Fraser), bassist Rex (Steve Buscemi) and drummer Pip (Adam Sandler), in a desperate move invade a rock radio station with toy guns and force the DJ Ian (Joe Mantegna) to play their demo tape above the objections of the oily program director Milo (Michael McKean). Once the station is taken over, the film stalls and goes nowhere. After the demo is aired, the band basks in their celebrity as throngs of rock fans surround the station and the police negotiate for the hostages. Don’t ask what happens and I won’t tell…but this film isn’t named Airheads without a reason.
REVIEWED ON 8/31/2017 GRADE: C
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ