Un cadavre sur les bras

This is sort of a distaff "Weekend at Bernie's", only it's set in small-town New Mexico and there are cops instead of crooks. It ends up being darker and drier. "Bernie's" may be wackier, but this film is funnier in the long run, I think.

Elizabeth Perkins is a platinum blonde this time out, and looks even cuter than she usually does. She's a winning comedienne and is well teamed with Judge Reinhold and Jeffrey Jones. They could have been Lamour, Hope and Crosby starring in "The Road to Roswell" but thankfully that's a bit of New Mexico we don't get to see for a change.

Once upon a time, the inconvenience of a dead body was considered a topic worthy of the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, in one of his rare comedies, "The Trouble With Harry" ("Is He's Dead"), and more recently it has been a lesser plot point for the National Lampoon in the original and still riotous "Vacation".

Live comics stiff all the time, but dead ones are always good for a laugh.

Do you like films with plastic caricatures instead of characters, doing stupid things in order to advance an one-note plot that has worn out its welcome within the first ten minutes, and mumbling to themselves for the duration? If your answer is "Yes", this tiresome and unfunny comedy is right up your alley. If it is "No", SKIP IT! (*)

This is a story about a twisted love triangle and a troublesome corpse - the corpse of the protagonists' sister/wife! Of course, she was not a cooperative person while alive either - in fact, the picture opens with a dysfunctional family scene that will surely make you cringe!

The cast is outstanding - you'll love Jeffry Jones as the troublesome partner of policeman Judge Reinhold (the felonious husband) and you might even feel a bit of empathy for the two-timing sister played by Elizabeth Perkins.

Perhaps the best thing about this movie is its imitation of life, since you just know this is what would happen to you if you tried to get rid of your awful sister - even if only by mistake!

Oh, and be sure to pay attention whenever Brion James shows up in the plot. He really shines in this role! (And if you ever lived in the southwest, you probably met this guy at least once every other weekend!)

This is a very funny black comedy. Elizabeth Perkins is a delight. While the film panders to its audience--car crashes, rotten language, a bit of simulated sex--it is nonetheless original and humorous. It's a solid three out of four stars.

This is one of my All Time Favorites! Elizabeth Perkins is at top of her comedic game and Rita Perlman was great fit on dispatcher. The older sister completed the circle of laughter and is always guaranteed to make one laugh out loud!! Anyone rating this flick less than a 7-10 may reflect stress (excessive) and distraction in your life?! By all means, one would need to relax & watch after exercising, running, or of course, a glass of wine or your favorite relaxation aid and enjoy the film ... for the first time (again!)!! Judge Reinhold is hilarious as his character comes to life without having to (or appearing to; smile) act out the character. Reinhold's over-zealous action seeking sidekick and partner on the force, is non other than the principal from Ferris Beulers Day Off fame. I've bought the DVD & also have it on the Laser Disc. It's a movie worth watching (& re-rating) as if the first attempt didn't yield a 7+ rating the 2nd time will! The comic genius of the characters, background music and perfect type-cast of Perkins and Reinhold makes this film, well, a Comedic Gem in which the Good, The Bad, and The Ugly accidents in life ...and the decisions to fix or clean them up don't always go according to plan!