Rude Awakening

This appeared at a convenient point in time for pop culture self-examination through the movies; the narrative intent is that we can review the 1980s through the lens of 1960s thinking.

It starts off with a 'reprogramming' of a dropout via LSD and movie indoctrination. This could have been something clever...instead it deteriorates by hallucinating through "Up In Smoke" and Leone westerns.

The 'ideal world' is depicted as "Woodstock", with the main characters stolen out of "Easy Rider". They take an excursion through "Salvador" and "The Mosquito Coast".

The whole thing, production-wise, staggers about in a manner as clumsy as "Where the Buffalo Roam" and "Animal House". It resolves through "Deer Hunter", "Stripes" and the Beatles' 'Revolution'.

The point of all this is to tear down the detached, colorless, sexless, 'boozh-wa' 1980s and reindoctrinate the audience to 'the truth' with the 'romantic' drug of the movie. An audience is assembled in the movie to first provoke (in us)the intended feeling of 'guilt', and the second time to sublimate into 'activism'.

As I wrote earlier, it's just not clever. The problem is, it doesn't know how to target the comedic center. Everything ends up as a target, including Roberts because he doesn't know how to play this in a smart way -- there's no winking at the viewer. The producers thought this was 'affirming', oblivious to the joke on themselves.

Hey, this movie was on HBO in the eighties...thats when I got it on tape. Then the years went by...and eventually I lost my cable connection somewhere around 1998...funny, but I never saw this movie on cable since. I luckily had it on tape and it "grew" on me...I just kept remembering it, and laughing.... I am so glad I had it on tape...cuz I don't think it ever came back...but it is a delight. If you like Cheech and Chong then you know you like "stupid" comedy...yup I like it...I like them....LOL

This movie is a classic in my opinion....there is stuff here under the surface that is important....check it out! The movie lays out some down home ideas of brotherhood and peace that the world needs! (my world needs them!) Love to All! Peace, bro!

In 1969, peace loving hippies Eric Roberts (as Fred) and Cheech Marin (as Hesus) flee to Central America, to avoid being drafted into Vietnam War service. Why the US government believes Mr. Marin would be of any real use during warfare is never explained; but, Mr. Roberts looks like a major Commie-killing loss. Anyway, they spend the next 20 years hiding in the jungle, smoking marijuana, and enjoying peace. Their hippie friends, Julie Hagerty (as Petra) and Robert Carradine (as Sammy), remain behind. While in Central America, Roberts and Marin learn about a US invasion plan, and decide to return to New York, and stop the war. They are in for a rude awakening...

In 1989, the peace movement appears dead. Roberts and Marin try to adapt to the changes in American society. They try to re-connect with Ms. Hagerty and Mr. Carradine, who have become materialistic yuppies. How can they erase their friends' 1980s brainwashing, avoid capture by perseverating FBI man Cliff De Young (as Brubaker), and stop the war?

Aaron Russo and Neil Levy's underrated "Rude Awakening" certainly doesn't always work; but, it's funny more often than not. Roberts and Marin are almost a satirical casting in-joke (sixties, meet the eighties). One of the film's most obvious misses is that the main attempt to transcend a 20-year-gap is an unconvincing pair of pasted-on beards. Although, to answer Roberts' later, more general question, "How's my hair?" Great. It's impossible to hold back laughing at Marin's first meeting with the "fish". But, they should have used Don Knotts voice. Of the four "hippie" friends, Carradine's is, performance-wise, most convincing. Check out Louise Lasser (as Ronnie)'s customers!

The highlight of the film is a terrific "cocktail party" hosted by Carradine and uptight wife Cindy Williams (as June). They are visited by the "Stools", Buck Henry (as Lloyd) and Andrea Martin (as April). A cocktail party attended by Cheech Marin, Eric Roberts, Robert Carradine, Buck Henry, Cindy Williams, and Andrea Martin is every bit as funny as it sounds. If only they could have figured out how to get Lasser there (and the overhead mike out). There are enough funny moments, all around; but, the hilarious supporting characterizations by Martin and Williams, alone, make this well worth watching.

****** Rude Awakening (1989) Aaron Russo ~ Eric Roberts, Cheech Marin, Andrea Martin

Good film, the fish parts are great, The scenes with the Stools are great especially Mrs. Stool & Jesus, Terminally fun, Jesus goes through life completly stoned, while Fred struggles with coming down and finding the 60's have turned into the 80's and money talks, enviromental disasters are rife, and that not everyone is please to see him. Petra is a walking complex time bomb, wanting to be loved although running away, shes always trying to FIND herself to no avail while Sammy (ex 60's geek) makes some money which turns into more and a spoiled must have wife,hippy son and a am I good enough complex.

Great film which brings back together 4 friends after the 60's with serious, funny, tragic and soul searching consequences.

Watch out for the fish.

Classic tale of two stoners dropping out to have a good time in the jungle for twenty years and then coming back to find the whole world has been taken over by a terrible sickness known as the eighties - yup, they all wear stupid clothes and talk and do a load of rubbish, while the real men from the sixties have all kiinds of trouble fitting in and showing people the value of slobbing around, caning it and having fun without dressing up like Rebecca DeMornay in Weird Science. This film carries a very important message for us all about avoiding eighties style and values, but, like the other guy said, don't watch it in a serious mood, this is a hilarious comedy classic NOT a horror flick, after all.