The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)
July 26, 2018 8:21 PM - Subscribe
The original '70s T.V. family is now placed in the 1990s, where they're even more square and out of place than ever.
Been on my mind since this thread.
Been on my mind since this thread.
For some reason this was on TV all the time growing up, so I have this outsized affection for it despite only being familiar with the show via cultural osmosis.
This was part of that huge wave of 70s revamps/reboots in the 90s and basically the only good one.
posted by The Whelk at 9:39 PM on July 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
This was part of that huge wave of 70s revamps/reboots in the 90s and basically the only good one.
posted by The Whelk at 9:39 PM on July 26, 2018 [3 favorites]
Gary Cole deserved an Oscar nom for his note-perfect performance in this movie. Don't @ me.
posted by GamblingBlues at 1:13 PM on July 27, 2018
posted by GamblingBlues at 1:13 PM on July 27, 2018
"Why don't you boys come inside and we'll make a sandwich?"
posted by M-x shell at 2:45 PM on July 27, 2018
posted by M-x shell at 2:45 PM on July 27, 2018
Ann B Davis' truck driver cameo is named Shultzy for the character she played on The Bob Cummings show.
posted by brujita at 3:42 PM on July 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by brujita at 3:42 PM on July 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
"Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! Aren't you gorgeous! And Jan! Isn't Marcia gorgeous!"
"They have astroturf on their lawn, and they treat it like grass."
"One time I was over there. One bathroom for nine people? And I never did see a toilet."
I enjoyed this movie when I saw it twenty years ago. The critics hated it, but every single person I knew who had watched the show as a kid thought the movie was very funny. I think it was perhaps a niche movie in its way, that you had to have watched the show as a child to enjoy the movie.
The concept of the absurdly unrealistic Bradys still living in the 1970s while their realistically drawn neighbours and other associates were living in the 1990s was very creative and a lot of fun, and at its best even rose to the level of meta commentary on the absurd conventions of sitcom television itself, and what more could one expect of a movie of this type?
posted by orange swan at 4:28 PM on July 27, 2018 [5 favorites]
"They have astroturf on their lawn, and they treat it like grass."
"One time I was over there. One bathroom for nine people? And I never did see a toilet."
I enjoyed this movie when I saw it twenty years ago. The critics hated it, but every single person I knew who had watched the show as a kid thought the movie was very funny. I think it was perhaps a niche movie in its way, that you had to have watched the show as a child to enjoy the movie.
The concept of the absurdly unrealistic Bradys still living in the 1970s while their realistically drawn neighbours and other associates were living in the 1990s was very creative and a lot of fun, and at its best even rose to the level of meta commentary on the absurd conventions of sitcom television itself, and what more could one expect of a movie of this type?
posted by orange swan at 4:28 PM on July 27, 2018 [5 favorites]
"Cut the crap, Jan!"
posted by Chrysostom at 4:45 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Chrysostom at 4:45 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ann B Davis' truck driver cameo is named Shultzy for the character she played on The Bob Cummings show.
And if you haven't seen The Bob Cummings show, it's actually good! Much better than a lot of the mid-50s sitcoms, and Schultzy is a great sass, a bit sparkier than Alice.
posted by rhizome at 7:03 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
And if you haven't seen The Bob Cummings show, it's actually good! Much better than a lot of the mid-50s sitcoms, and Schultzy is a great sass, a bit sparkier than Alice.
posted by rhizome at 7:03 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
My mom hated the Brady Bunch show so would never let me watch it (excellent judgment), but I nevertheless liked this movie a lot. Having caught the opening credits a few times and watched other sitcoms of the era enough to get it. It was a pretty good critique of sitcoms in general, which is a pretty fat target to aim at, but still satisfying to watch. The movie was also ironic without being sarcastic, which is really difficult to do in modern comedy.
posted by skewed at 7:12 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by skewed at 7:12 PM on July 27, 2018 [1 favorite]
It was a critique, yes, but there was also a real warmth and liking for the characters that, I think, really sold the movie at the expense of good reviews. Underneath it all, the movie *likes* the Bradies, and that drove the critics nuts. :)
posted by Mogur at 10:11 AM on July 28, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by Mogur at 10:11 AM on July 28, 2018 [9 favorites]
Greg launching into "Clowns Never Laughed Before" will never not slay me
posted by prize bull octorok at 1:47 PM on July 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by prize bull octorok at 1:47 PM on July 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
Suffice it to say I never recalled this episode. I though it was just some dross they invented for the movie.
posted by rhizome at 6:50 PM on July 31, 2018
posted by rhizome at 6:50 PM on July 31, 2018
I totally agree with Mogur. This is probably the only movie I've seen that took a TV show and gave it *wink wink* slant intelligently and with respect to the original. Gary Cole and Shelley Long were spot on as were the Greg and Marcia actors.
"Your father's right, kids."
posted by Fukiyama at 5:54 PM on August 3, 2018
"Your father's right, kids."
posted by Fukiyama at 5:54 PM on August 3, 2018
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This is a lot more fun than it had any right to be. Long and Cole are perfect as the parents, and Barnes and Taylor are great as Greg and Marcia.
posted by Chrysostom at 9:32 PM on July 26, 2018 [2 favorites]