Dudes

Film-maker Penelope Spheeris's 80s absurdist road-tripping slacker black comedy sees three punk rockers leaving New York on their way to a better life in California, but on their way there they become targets of a ruthless hillbilly gang (led by an impressive Lee Ving) with one of them ending up dead. For the remaining two, instead of heading to California they decide go after the gang. This is one very odd, slapdash journey narrative with broad humour, but an even brutal tone and cross-cultural conflict as the modern punk scene meets old west philosophy as actors Jon Cryer, Daniel Roebuck and Flea find themselves along for the ride. I'm not that much of a fan of Cryer, but this is definitely the best thing I've seen him in. Also showing up in the cast is Catherine Mary Stuart. For a road movie, scenery is important and here the Arizona backdrop provides many picturesque sequences. Director Spheeris crafts out some surreal dynamics from the visuals and sets up some good stunt pieces. Pumping soundtrack, edgy script and kooky characters only added to this cult film's spontaneous and jarring charm.

"I'm so sick of waiting for the world to end."

Fun offbeat 80s puck rock comedy/drama about two New York punks, Jon Cryer and Daniel Roebuck, who travel out west and run afoul various rednecks, bikers, and lawmen in a southwest desert community on their way to LA. "Dudes" was directed by Penelope Spheeris, who made the seminal punk rock documentary "Decline of the Western Civilization," but this film isn't as much a document of punk culture as it is an oddball 1980s counterculture time capsule. Despite the two lead actors being decidedly un-punk rock, the film does feature legitimate musicians Lee Ving (FEAR) as a biker, John Densmore (The Doors) as a cop, Flea (The Red Hot Chili Peppers, FEAR) as a punk buddy of the two leads, and also an appearance by The Vandals during the film's opening. Ving is a particular standout as a nasty loudmouth biker. Seeing him this film really made me want to see him in more, although his filmography is sadly pretty short and primarily supporting roles (though I really do want to find a copy of his appearance on "Who's the Boss"). "Dudes" also gets time capsule value with the casting of Catherine Mary Stewart ("Night of the Comet" and "The Last Starfighter") as a local wrecking service owner who helps the dudes when their Volkswagen Beetle needs fixed. Also of note is that this was the fourth feature film shot by cinematography by Robert Richardson, who'd later go on to be the regular director of photography for the likes of Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese, and Quentin Tarantino. Overall, "Dudes" is not as gritty as Spheeris' "Suburbia" nor is it as entertaining of a counter culture comedy/drama as "Something Wild," but the end result is an interesting time capsule that held my interest. There's also a decent soundtrack that features everything from Jane's Addiction to Carl Perkins.

I first saw dudes when I was seventeen,I rented the movie and returned it two years later.Well I have always wished I added it to my collection.As far as plot is concerned, the film is a little weak,but there are some more memorable lines including Dare-Delvises line regarding angry beef.The personal development of Grant and Biscuit make the film worth it.If you are looking for a serious film to learn something from this isn't it but if you are looking for some escapist comedy with some serious moments then you have come to the right place.

Dudes became one of my favorites quickly and has never really let me go. The weaker moments include a seemingly out of sync dream sequence,and the bar scene when Grant finally meets Missoula. So check it out with an open mind and enjoy Dudes for what it is worth.

Dudes is a fun albeit weirdly different movie. I didn't love it as much as Pepper Anne, but yeah - it's fun. From the opening with The Vandals to Lee Ving popping up as Cryer's nemesis, it never takes itself too seriously, even when it's taking itself too seriously. The plot is basically summed up in the Vandals tune "Urban Struggle" and P.A. above. Cryer and co. become disillusioned with the NY scene and head out west to see what lies out there. Run into Ving and his boys and things take a turn for the worse and then it's Cryer in Eastwood mode. Avenging angel.Anyway - take our words for it - Dudes is a semi-cult classic that's good for watching once every couple of years.

This movie is fun. And it's great in that it is remarkably fun, as opposed to "about anything." If you can take it in context of "Punk-Western" as a "rock" movie and a western the bar is not set incredibly high to begin with, and this clears the hurdle with ease in merging two genres that usually droop into the exploitation movie quality level. Penelope Spheeris's prior works: Decline of Western Civilization and Suburbia were genuine and earnest portraits of punk-rock music, the first from a documentary perspective of the performers, and the second from the subjective fictional live of the fans of the genre. this is an attempt to launch these concepts into the language of mainstream genre cinema and succeeds better than adequately. Admirably, exceptionally, debate and quibble about the adjective. no matter what. this is approximately 1 1/2 hors of fun movie watching with that little extra to think about. And I occasionally entertain the bizarre notion of building a religion around Daredelvis. If one respects a youth culture as an anthropological phenomenon, tis film shines out as the "punk" take on westerns almost in the way that "LITTLE BIG MAN' was a 60's hippie western