Men at Work may never be loved beyond its marginal cult following, but for those who did indeed "get it," the squabbling of real-life brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen is a hoot. Before both brothers starred in out-and-out spoofs (Sheen in the Hot Shots movies, Estevez in Loaded Weapon 1), they cut their teeth in this goofy look at garbage men caught up in intrigue and a dumpster's worth of slapstick comedy. It's hard not to grin watching Sheen strangle Estevez while shouting "You're a stupid little man!" Men at Work may not be for everyone, but for those who suck up this obnoxious humor with a straw, it's plenty tickling. Even more gonzo is Keith David as their shell-shocked supervisor, a Nam veteran who sniffs an ambush around every corner. It's not that jokes like this are so funny or original, per se, but that David in this case -- and Sheen and Estevez in others -- handles them with such bug-eyed intensity, the sheer energy level is a gas. Writer/director Estevez was smart to cast his brother opposite him, since the two have great onscreen chemistry. No doubt, some will find Men at Work eye-rollingly stupid, but those in the right frame of mind might just want to join that cult following.
Men at Work (1990)
Directed by Emilio Estevez
Genres - Comedy, Crime |
Sub-Genres - Comedy Thriller |
Release Date - Aug 24, 1990 (USA) |
Run Time - 98 min. |
Countries - United States |
MPAA Rating - PG13
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