Airheads (1994)

Starring Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, Joe Mantegna, et al
Rated PG-13, 92 minutes

This movie's a total guilty pleasure for me. In the years before I started logging on the web, this movie was one of many in heavy rotation on Comedy Central. Once I caught it, it was in my heavy rotation.

Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler play The Lone Rangers, just another band struggling in California. Chaz, the lead singer, frequently breaks in to a record company office, stopping executives and trying to get their demo heard. While attending a concert at the Whisky-a-Go-Go, he decides the band needs to get on the radio, and let the record contracts come to them.

The first time I saw this, I loved how the proverbial clouds came together and formed this perfect storm. Suffice to say, a lot happens after Chaz enacts their little plan to get on the air.

The vast majority of the cast is believable in their roles. Seeing this in middle school, it was my first exposure to Steve Buscemi, and darned it all if I didn't believe he really had that hair and mustache. "Airheads" is loaded with other familiar faces. Michael McKean is the slimy boss. Joe Mantegna is the popular DJ. Michael Richards brings his physical comedy chops in a sporadic, but important, supporting role. Chris Farley is a cop alongside "Ghostbusters" alum Ernie Hudson. Judd Nelson and David Arquette fill smaller parts. There are cameos from Lemmy, Beavis & Butt-head, and "Stuttering" John Melendez. And the soundtrack is pretty cool.

Not to mention it's also funny. A lot of good lines are buried in fast talk, unfortunately, but I still managed laughs after all these years when I saw it for this review.

****½

I flipped by it on cable years back, gave it a few minutes, and came to love it. It's now part of my video collection. Watch a scene or few, and see if it draws you in too.