So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993)

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

This film is in there with my all-time favourite comedies. From the brilliant opening scene all of the way through to the end I was hooked and have now seen it several times since. Mike Myers is hilarious, this is up there with his Austin Powers for brute comedy force. Loads of classic lines and Myers even plays his own dad, even though his Scottish accent isn't particularly up to scratch this character is equally hilarious. Also, watch out for Brenda Fricker who plays his mother, such good casting.The acting is as good as it needs to be, solid from all of the cast, no weak links. The script is the anchor and Myers uses it brilliantly to sculpt out some fine characters and drives this film into comedy gold.OK, so it's not stuff of legend like Monty Python and Ghostbusters but I personally rate it just as highly. If I'm totally honest, if you don't laugh all of the way through this then there's something wrong with you. Watch it, and watch it again! Also, you'll never get The La's - There She Goes out of your head for months. Fair warning.

The leading actor has had huge success with characters Wayne Campbell, Austin Powers and Shrek, but this isn't really one of his remembered films, apart from the catchy title. Basically dedicated coffeehouse poet Charlie Mackenzie (Mike Myers) often bases his material on the numerous failed relationships he has had with women, all ending with doing something weird or high paranoia. His Scottish parents, mother May (Brenda Fricker) and father Stuart (also Myers, putting on his Fat Bastard voice), may criticise him for his wrong-doings, but he may have found the perfect girl to end the comments. Meat butcher with a heart of gold Harriet Michaels (Three Men and a Baby's Nancy Travis), and they start going out with hardly any concerns at all. Reports in the newspapers about some murders of newlywed men in the area, and habits of his new girlfriend, get Charlie back in the state of paranoia, and he is not sure he can fully trust his new love. Eventually he settles down and finds it in himself to ask Harriet to marry him, and they do so with no problems, but of course then the murders have some evidence that could indeed have her as the killer. In the end, after so many occurrences that make him, and you the audience, believe she is this axe murderer, it turns out to be her sister Rose (Pulp Fiction's Amanda Plummer), and Charlie is happy to go on as normal, if possible. Also starring Anthony LaPaglia as Tony Giardino, Matt Doherty as Heed, The Great Muppet Caper's Charles Grodin as Commandeered Driver, Phil Hartman as Ranger John 'Vicky' Johnson - Alcatraz Guide, Steven Wright as Pilot and Inspector Gadget's Michael G. Hagerty as Obituary Writer. Myers is alright as the vulnerable loser with amusingly crap poems, I laughed probably more when he was in his other guise, and Travis is okay as the very suspicious girlfriend, the script does have some witty moments to keep you on tenterhooks about the situation, but it's not the funniest film, a slightly silly comedy. Okay!

Written by Robbie Fox, "So, I Married an Axe Murderer" is basically a silly film that is made palatable thanks to the comic genius of Mike Myers and the charms of Nancy Travis. Myers makes the most of all the comic opportunities and often has us laughing in fits. Look out for the nude scene, and Mr. McKenzie, Mike's dad.Nancy Travis is a beauty we don't see enough of, while Anthony LaPaglia, Amanda Plummer and Allan Arkin (unbilled) have great fun in support roles. Charles Grodin pops in briefly too. Directed by Thomas Schlamme.Sunday, January 2, 2000 - Video

I saw this film on cable not long after its release and remember enjoying it. But like most films, it didn't leave a lasting impression. For some reason I have had a DVD copy of the film in my collection for some time now, probably a b-day gift or some such, and I never watch it…Last night, sixteen years after it first appeared, I watched it again.Sometimes, a piece of art takes time and multiple exposures for its audience to fully appreciate its quality. This is definitely the case with this film. For me, a film should show me new characters or new settings or give me a new way of looking at a recognizable situation. So often films just give their audience the same tired stereotypical content; Characters that differ in name only from other films and plot lines that so closely follow previous successful productions that I'm surprised there aren't more lawsuits between artists. Such is not the case with "So I Married an Axe Murderer". With the tiny exception of the girlfriend of the chief supporting character, every role can accurately be described as unique. A butcher shop owner/operator (Nancy Travis) for a leading lady that may be wielding her cleaver in the off hours plus her curiously flighty sister (Amanda Plummer). A suburban San Francisco family of intensely Scottish decent that includes the youngest son with an enormous head and a Mother (Brenda Fricker) who has no qualms about French kissing her eldest son's best friend just to assure herself he's good at it. There's a light aircraft charter pilot (Steven Wright) that probably shouldn't have been awarded a license and a slightly embittered, slightly maniacal former Alcatraz guard/now tour guide (Phil Hartman) who makes me laugh just to look at him on screen. There's an undercover cop best friend (Anthony LaPaglia) that wanted to be Starsky or Hutch but instead learns the job really entails filling out a lot of forms and his boss (Alan Arkin) who, if it wasn't for Mike Myer's performance, would have stolen the movie with his portrayal of a Police Chief that can only be described as the antithesis of that character that we've seen so many times in films and TV.About Mike Myers: Intensely likable. Free and easy on film at a young age he creates two wonderful characters that make us laugh hard throughout. As the lead Charlie McKenzie and as his father Stuart, Myers keeps the film moving with his paranoid yet irresistible charm from Charlie and his Robin Williamsesque quips that flow from his two characters accomplishing the most difficult task for such a performance; namely, entertain without distracting from the story.I've added this film to my "Favorites" list and recommend it highly. If you liked "You Can't Take it With You" you'll love this more contemporary yet equally quirky film of love and family.