The Dream Team

First you have a great comedy ensemble who also can play drama just as effectively. Michael Keaton is Billy Caufield ("I'm an escaped mental patient with a history of violence"), Christopher Lloyd is Henry Sikorsky, an overly organized person ("Why don't we bring this up in group? Or maybe we should just hug?"), Peter Boyle is Jack McDermott who has a Messiah complex ("Arise and walk, my son"), & Stephen Furst is Albert Ianuzzi, who only speaks in TV ads and baseball jargon ("Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee").

If you don't already know by now, these guys are four mental patients, whose doctor, played by Dennis Boutsikaris ("One more afternoon in the rec room and I'm gonna have to go on Thorazine myself"), decides to take them to a baseball game in New York. Only things don't go as planned, as the good doctor ends up getting knocked unconscious and whisked away to a hospital, leaving his patients all alone on the streets of New York City. And the comedy ensues! As the gang tries to figure out a way to find their doctor, they end up finding "themselves" in the process. Add Lorraine Bracco (of "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos" fame) as Keaton's girlfriend ("So am I walking home with an escaped mental patient or what?") and you know you're set to have a good time.

What makes the film memorable is that it has the perfect blend of laugh outloud humor ("We're a special combat unit with the United States Marine Corps and we've been tracking some Libyan terrorists. In fact I think we've got 'em trailed to a bagel shop around the corner.") combined with some tender dramatic moments, that work together seamlessly.

The DVD is your typical standard DVD. No extras, other than the original theatrical trailer. Happily the film is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which looks pretty good. A little dark in some spots, but not too much to complain about.

So if you're looking for a comedy that's full of great laughs as well as a good story with some dramatic moments thrown in for good measure, pick up The Dream Team today. It's the sanest choice to make!

The Dream Team - a very funny movie.

Henry - "We're directly under the Hudson River now".

Billy - "Yeah. You guys see those tiles up there, all those individual tiles? Doc, isn't true that if even one of those tiles were to come loose, like millions and millions of gallons of water would come pouring down on us and crush us like tiny little bugs? (pauses) Is that a leak up there? You see those tiles? They're leakin' water! Oh, my God!"

Jack - "I will hold back the waters".

Billy - "Thanks, Jack".

The strength of this movie is the dialogue between the characters, the one-liners, and the terrific acting from four well-respected actors. I rank it as one of the greatest comedies ever. I wish it had received more notice when it was released back in 1989. It hasn't become dated with the times, however. It is very watchable today.

It's about four mental patients let loose in New York City, just trying to survive and save their hospitalized doctor from two crooked, murderous police officers. It's hilarious.

There's Billy, played by Michael Keaton, who is a pathological liar with a violent temper(he doesn't hurt anyone, really); Jack, played by Peter Boyle(Everybody Loves Raymond), who is a former ad exec. who thinks he's Jesus; Henry, played by Christopher Lloyd(Taxi, Back to the Future), the schizophrenic neat freak who thinks he's a doctor; finally, you have Albert, played by Stephen Furst(St.Elsewhere), the catatonic baseball fan who can only speak as a baseball announcer.

Other actors are Dennis Boutsikaris as Dr. Weitzman, the sympathetic psychiatrist of the group. You also have Lorraine Bracco(The Sopranos) as Billy Caulfield's ex-girlfriend, Philip Bosco(great character actor, Three Men and a Baby and too many to list)as one of the crooked cops, and James Remar(48HRs and many others-great as a tough, evil guy) as his partner.

This movie will have you laughing your butt off! There are too many great lines and scenes to list here. Some great ones:

doctor: "Jack, Jesus Christ would never point a gun at another human being."

Jack: "Stay outta my psychosis, now get your ass in that van!"

Army Surplus store clerk to Jack who is trying on clothes: "I'm telling you, it works. It's a statement man. You know who you are."

Billy(to store clerk): "No, he doesn't"

Billy(on phone:)"Nurse Helen Grabowski? Hey, this is Billy Caulfield, you treated me for a scalp wound once. Yeah, self-inflicted, right."

There's also a great scene where Jack "heals" a patient on a hospital gurney. "Arise and walk my son." The result is hilarious!

See this movie!! One of the funniest, most underrated comedies ever! I agree with an above reviewer, it sure beats the drivel that passes for comedy these days.