Going Bananas (1988)

Really Surprised!

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Big Bad Joe (Dom Deluise) has agreed to take a senator's son, Ben (David Mendenhall) on an African safari. In truth, it doesn't make much sense as Joe sprays disinfectant everywhere and is scared of the creatures. But, a promise is a promise. Their private safari leader, Mo (Jimmie Walker) is glad to have them in his fictitious country of Tongola and is delighted when Ben expresses great admiration for lions, elephants, and ostriches. Joe is aghast when a lion perches on the roof of their vehicle and the man injures a tooth. Its off to a local tribe where natives speaking a foreign language try to "heal" his tooth and give advice on brushing! Adorable. Soon the trio rescue a monkey/chimp who takes to Ben like nobody's business. A local officer (Herbert Lom) grabs the chimp away from them and throws the group in an outdoor jail. Yet, this chimp is SMART. He breaks out of his confinement, rescues his friends and they all go to a high faluting Parisian cafe, with the chimp dressed as a lady. Also at the restaurant is the commanding officer. Could it be that this official has his own tricky plans for the chimp? What a joy this family film is! If anyone is in a bad mood, here is a movie to wash away the blues. Deluise, Lom, Walker, Mendenhall and all other cast members are great fun! Also darling is the chimp, which is really a midget wearing a monkey suit; it doesn't matter, kids will still love him. Then, too, the Africa scenery is beyond amazing, with lovely waterfalls, animals, caves, and more. The script is comedic and the direction is lively as well. Hey, folks, go bananas and find this entertaining movie. Even the crabby Appletons of the world will turn their frowns upside down at a showing.

I just saw the reviews on Meet the Spartans, The Comebacks and SuperBad. Those movies are kind of R-like rated movies. They were intended to entertain.I looked up this movie, just to see if people with "common sense" would refer to it, as a family cute comedy. But no, again, I'll say it, "Tom Hanks" isn't in it. His boring movie "Big" is a classic and in a shrine. Boring as it was back in the 80's and even now.This movie, caught my attention as a kid, due to a main character, a monkey. The movie had a perfect cast. I've gotten my friends started on this movie and they agree, "wonderful family comedy". It is made in the mid to late 80's, so for a funny clean hearted movie, how can any "loser" find anything negative about it. That's right, no Tom Hanks.The same people who have said negative things about each and every good comedy I liked believed that Will middle age Ferrell is funny. When he's not funny but annoying looking. His movies are considered good, but why? If you can find this movie on DVD, but it asap, "absolute classic".

When my brother and I were little, we had a few movies that we would watch over and over and over again until we had them memorized because as far as we were concerned, they were the best, and "Going Bananas" was definitely one of them. By now he's outgrown it, but for me there is no getting past it, I love this movie. Not only is it an enjoyable story of a boy, Ben, touring Africa and making friends with a talking monkey (who can be more trouble than he's worth sometimes), but it's also hysterical to see the monkey pick on Big Bad Joe and get away with it. There is a bit of a graphic scene where Ben gets attacked by scorpions after taking a fall, but aside from that, it's an excellent movie for kids. If you enjoy a good laugh (and there's plenty to be found in this movie), I would highly recommend seeing "Going Bananas",

No laughs? What about the part where Bonzo (the monkey) is under the table and keeps snatching the pieces of cake from the patrons at the restaurant? Before the waiter can set down another plate, Bonzo has devoured it! Cut to a facial shot of Bonzo under the table cloth covered in cake!! Tell me, who could resist wetting their pants at such a thing? And the ensuing restaurant fight, where we have the joy of seeing Ben and Bonzo smash people at random with bottles!Whoever thought this movie was not funny must have been watching with their eyes closed and cotton in their ears. Just the scenes of intimacy between Ben and Bonzo that bordered on homosexual (bestial?) were enough to make the film hilarious, especially when Bonzo is trying to sing Ben back to health in the hospital.Not to mention the cruel and sadistic humor of the monkey, who is seen repeatedly hitting his "friends" Ben, the boy, and the others, and breaking out into insane laughter.One must see the strange and twisted side of Going Bananas to see the humor. So I suggest, watch the movie again. It is a classic. If you think of the sheer cruelty of Dom Deluise taunting a monkey with a banana, only to let him have it if he says "banana!" It is hysterical! Of course poor Dom had no idea the monkey would do it, so imagine what kind of pathetic mindstate he was in! Locked in a jail in Africa, and rather than prayer, diplomacy, critical thinking, whatever...instead of trying to get himself out of this dillema...he resolves to sit back on his haunches and amuse himself by taunting a monkey with a banana. Excellent!I give Bonzo and Going Bananas 14 MILLION stars and 763,000 THUMBS WAY UP!!! BONZO FOR PRESIDENT!!! BONZO LOVES BEN!!!