My Boyfriend's Back (1993)

Charming and brutal

A Masterpiece!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Johnny Dingle (Andrew Lowery) is a likable high school kid who's been madly in love with Missy McCloud (the extremely sexy Traci Lind) for around a decade. One fateful night, his attempt to worm his way into her heart goes seriously awry, and he is shot by a robber. But within 24 hours or so, he rises from the grave, determined to keep their prom date. Hilarity ensues as most of the people around him adjust surprisingly well to having a returnee from the dead in their midst.Veteran filmmaker Sean S. Cunningham was producer of this mainstream Hollywood zombie comedy, written by Dean Lorey and directed by actor Bob Balaban. While there are no genuine comedy fireworks here, it's all pleasant enough to make for passable entertainment. There's plenty of lame lines, but somehow they still made this viewer snicker. This is largely because Cunningham and Balaban assembled quite the solid cast here: Mary Beth Hurt (who'd also played the mother in Balabans' directorial debut, a similar dark comedy called "Parents") and Edward Herrmann as Johnny's parents, Jay O. Sanders as Missy's sheriff father, Matthew Fox, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Matthew McConaughey (in his film debut) in pre-stardom appearances, Paul Dooley as Hoffmans' redneck father, Bob Dishy as a graveyard keeper, Austin Pendleton as a weaselly doctor, and Paxton Whitehead as a judge in Heaven. Cloris Leachman, however, is utterly wasted as a "zombie expert" named Maggie. Be sure to watch for Edwin Neal, the Hitchhiker of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre", as one of Dooley's henchmen. The material really isn't that great, but these people make it work as well as it does.Lowery makes Johnny very likable, a basically decent chap who's revolted at the thought of having to eat living people in order to extend his own existence. Lind is enticing as the kind of gal for whom lots of guys would fall. Herrmann and Hurt are endearing as the cheerful parents.Given that this is obviously geared more towards a mainstream, youth oriented audience, don't expect very much in the way of gore or sex. But it does offer some fun, and only runs a fairly painless 85 minutes long.Six out of 10.

**1/2 out of ****A boy is in love with a childhood friend and died and comes back just to go to the prom with her. Sure, the film is cheesy and dumb, not to mention pretty gross. But throughout the film, I wanted him to succeed in his goal. So the film works and it won my heart. What I thought was especially worth noting was that this was an early Philip Seymour Hoffman film. He plays Chuck in a performance I can only call bizarre. It's so interesting to see an actor as good as him in a weird little film like this. I could have done without the stupid sex gag early on in the film and the cannibalism, but I used to love this film when I was six or so. It was great to buy it and watch it again.

My Boyfriend's Back is easily one of the most clever satires of high school life I've ever seen. On the lines of Heathers and Clueless (The early-to-mid-90s were great, huh?) this movie mocks group mentality as well as the groups themselves in such a genuine way that the main characters aren't two dimensional. The dialogs is amazingly funny, especially when the script treats Johnny Dingle's posthumous nature as just some flaw, like acne or bad hair. Look for appearances by Matthew McConaughey and a pre-Lost Matthew Fox. They play pretty convincing high school students. Edward Herrman and Mary Beth Hurt are great as the parents. (Hurt is significantly less creepy than in Parents, another Balaban movie.) The look of this movie, with its comic book context, is prefect, but the writing is the biggest asset to this tragically underrated comedy.

I'll be the first to admit it. This movie is terrible. While the acting is decent and the cast (Edward Hermann, Chloris Leachman, Paul Dooley) is just plain awesome, this movie is terrible... in the perfect way. What most people don't get is that it's supposed to be campy and over the top. That's what farce is. In terms of production value, yes, this movie is a load of stinky camel poo, but it's funny and weird and it changed my life. I was eleven going on twelve when I popped into the theaters for this one and I was moved by this pathetic romantic. I maintain that if it wasn't for all the cannibalism and borderline necrophilia, this would be one of the most celebrated love stories of all time. I mean, he died for her! He came back from the dead for her! And to this day, I ask myself "Do I love this person enough to eat someone's stomach... just for ONE DANCE with them? That's love. And I think people take far too insecure a pride in the eschewing of campy humor. I know this movie is terrible, but I love it for its humor, its wonderfully bizarre characters and for teaching me what true love is all about... not eating people, but being willing to eat people for someone you love. Sick? Perhaps. But would you eat someone's stomach just to dance with your significant other? I wish I could find someone I loved that much.