Film Scouts Reviews: 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag

"8 Heads in a Duffel Bag"

by Leslie Rigoulot

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Shoulda known from the title that this is a one-trick pony. Shoulda known from the cast list, including George Hamilton and Dyan Cannon, that this is a stinker. Shoulda known Joe Pesci would be a wiseguy. But Tom Schulman, who writes and directs "8 Heads in a Duffel Bag" is also the Academy Award-winning writer of "Dead Poets Society", and the weird-funny "What about Bob?", and the truly funny "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids". Since this is just his first attempt as a director, we'll let him come back and try again.

I'm not so sure we will let Andy Comeau do the same. He is the student who accidentally picks up Pesci's duffel bag filled with the eight heads that are proof of a mob hit. Trying for a Tom Hanks innocence, he gets more of a Barney Fife idiocy. This is his feature film debut after guest appearances on TV's "Saved by the Bell". Well, that certainly qualifies him for a lead. Kristy Swanson continues her downward spiral in career choices that have included "The Program", "Highway to Hell", "Mannequin II", and the one that describes her performance, TV's "Not Quite Human". All of this is capped off by David Spade who managed to make this mess without Chris Farley. I guess that is a blessing. But he does have a sidekick, Todd Louiso, a nervous medical school student. Wanna know why this got made? It has the same producing team that made "Dumb and Dumber", "Beverly Hills Ninja" and "Kingpin". The guys that go right for the lowest joke possible. Remember their names and avoid their movies. Rated R, this is a don't bother, not even on video.

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