Out Cold

The plot of "Out Cold" could have made a movie as funny as the 1950's era Alec Guinness/Ealing Studios comedies. But something didn't click for me in the way "Out Cold" was filmed. Most notably, the music was way off. Music and sound effects was a big part of the Guinness comedies. But in addition to the poor music choices and lack of comic sound effects, there were stretches that didn't seem to accomplish anything except take up time.

There is a twist at the end of "Out Cold" that is left for the viewer to interpret. Was Dave (John Lithgow) not the bumbling naif he seemed to be?

Low-budget dark comedy that goes in all directions yet does an early fade. Ex-Army buddies-turned-butcher shop partners argue over family business and one of them ends up dead; the first butcher mistakenly thinks he himself is the murderer...until his partner's widow starts acting suspiciously. Barely-released picture with a terrific cast does show spirit and promise; it has a quirky edge that is sometimes playful and sometimes prickly, but unfortunately nobody seems able to keep this movie on track, and the plot bursts like a balloon leaving nothing but dead space in the final third. The performers are very good, particularly John Lithgow and Bruce McGill, but the players, the direction and the script are not in synch. ** from ****

Strangely panned by many critics yet this is actually a funny, black comedy about small-time accidents, coincidences, misunderstandings, failed scheming and murder amongst friends and spouses that has a lot more wit than the overrated Blood Simple. The plot is tight, the humor is delightfully droll and the next-door type characters are well-drawn and fun to watch despite their nastiness, simply because of the blackly amusing circumstances they find themselves in.

This did not deserve to become so obscure. Re-issue it on DVD please.

With Teri Garr's recent passing, I decided to watch this one while scrolling through movies on the TV. I'd never seen it before, but this dark little comedy is fantastic! Garr is trapped in a loveless marriage with boorish Bruce McGill (ANIMAL HOUSE, MY COUSIN VINNY) and traps him in his butcher shop freezer, killing him. When the kindly business partner, John Lithgow, thinks he's the one who locked him in the freezer, the pair see about disposing of the body together in a manner so they won't get caught. It's a farcical door-slamming type of comedy, and it completely works, mostly thanks to Garr and Lithgow. There's also a funny performance by Randy Quaid as a bumbling P. I., and if you look fast, you can spot Larry Miller in one scene near the end. Interestingly, director Malcolm Mowbray earlier made another dryly hilarious butcher-themed comedy, A PRIVATE FUNCTION, with Michael Palin. Overall, this is a witty little black comedy for folks desiring a smaller, off-beat, and darkly funny comedy.

I agree that this movie is underrated. The cast is perfect for the material, and it has a clever story with lots of surprises along the way. My only complaint is that it's too short, and that it could have maybe gone a little further with the dark humor. It seems to hold back and play it safe a lot of the time. Other than that it's a great movie!