IMDb RATING
4.9/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
Two NYC guys get jobs starting a nightclub in Smalltown, USA. They don't know it's a spy training model town in USSR.Two NYC guys get jobs starting a nightclub in Smalltown, USA. They don't know it's a spy training model town in USSR.Two NYC guys get jobs starting a nightclub in Smalltown, USA. They don't know it's a spy training model town in USSR.
Brian Doyle-Murray
- Jones
- (as Brian Doyle Murray)
Featured reviews
This has to be one of the most patently laughable cold war induced pieces of tripe I have ever seen. The principal idea of a seemingly 50's American town which is secretly in Russia with none of the inhabitants being aware is not a particularly bad one if it had been treated with a different director, different cast and not as a comedy. I defy anyone to watch Travolta's "I love America..." speech without falling into uncontrollable fits of laughter, the problem is that bit isn't supposed to be funny.
This is one of those silly movies that you can enjoy without too much concentration. I've always thought that Ayre Gross is under-recognized, so that's part of my reason for liking this. I thought it was kind of fun; light and fluffy. Maybe you shouldn't seek it out, but if it shows up on TBS one night, try it. You may just like it. It appeals to the fantasist in me. It requires the same suspension of disbelief that made Footloose such a hit; the entire premise is ridiculous, but who cares? This is the reason people see movies - pure entertainment, no education, no controversy, nothing to discuss later. Just get comfy on the couch with a snack and relax for ninety minutes or so.
Everyone always says, "It's a fun movie, but don't expect Oscar material" about these silly little movies. If you are expecting a silly movie about two dim-witted New Yorkers who think they are going to Nebraska to start a nightclub, but have really been abducted by the KGB to inject a little late '80's cachet to a Soviet Operative training town trapped in the '50's, who then fall in love with the wholesome, caring "townspeople" (two of them in particular), and learn the formula late '80's message of understanding and communication, you'll have a great afternoon. If you are expecting Oscar material, I'm afraid you may have been living in a Soviet training camp. This movie is fun, funny and as good as the genre gets. Nice performances turned in all around, and the dance scene everyone is drooling over really is kind of hot.
I would sum this film up as Fun and easy going, An easy one to pull you from doing something else like it did me. I'm not normally a Travolta fan so I'm picky on which films I watch with him but I thought this was worth watching. You have to say that Travolta had good actors which helped to hold it up like Kelly Preston and Arye Gross. Don't go out your way to watch it but if your bored.....
This is by no means any more of a good film than the ratings show, however I am personally a collector of films where the people playing the principal characters first met and later became an item, or better yet married, and better yet happily and lastingly.
This movie sure fills the bill because the dance and love scenes between Preston and Travolta look real to me because they obviously were!! HOT as only real can really be. After seeing this, I still liked "For the Love of the Game" because of Preston, the baseball theme, Costner doing what he really does which is playing baseball and golf, but the chemistry between Costner and Preston fades from weak to nothing.
This movie sure fills the bill because the dance and love scenes between Preston and Travolta look real to me because they obviously were!! HOT as only real can really be. After seeing this, I still liked "For the Love of the Game" because of Preston, the baseball theme, Costner doing what he really does which is playing baseball and golf, but the chemistry between Costner and Preston fades from weak to nothing.
Did you know
- TriviaThe Paramount Pictures studio wanted director Dave Thomas to go back and re-shoot some scenes before its limited release in 1989, but in the intervening two years, star John Travolta had gained over thirty pounds in weight, which prevented any new scenes being shot.
- GoofsYuri states the town is about 80 miles from the Sea of Japan. The coordinates he gives (61°N, 130°E) is roughly 195 miles from the Sea of Okhotsk and nearly 1,000 miles from the Sea of Japan.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: UHF/Valentino Returns/Shag (1989)
- SoundtracksBack In The U.S.S.R.
By John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Performed by Jack Mack and the Heart Attack (as Jack Mack & The Heart Attack)
Produced by Steve Cropper
- How long is The Experts?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $13,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $169,203
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $169,203
- Jan 15, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $169,203
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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