Tommy Boy
★★★★
There are comedies that surprise you. Comedies that challenge you. And then there are comedies that just make you laugh, no questions asked. Tommy Boy is firmly in the last camp—and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I grew up on the SNL “Bad Boys of the ‘90s”—Farley, Sandler, Spade, Rock—and this one was on heavy rotation in my house. I could probably perform it line-for-line at this point, and honestly? I still laugh. Every. Time.
Let’s be real: the plot mechanics are...rough. There are moments where the logic falls apart faster than Farley’s tiny coat seams. But when the jokes are this good, who cares? You’re not watching Tommy Boy for its airtight screenplay. You’re watching for Chris Farley’s whirlwind energy—equal parts bulldozer and teddy bear—and the way he ricochets off David Spade’s bone-dry sarcasm like a human wrecking ball of charm.
Their odd-couple chemistry just works. And in Farley, you get something rare: a childlike sweetness tucked inside a fireball of physical comedy. This might be the only film that truly captured the full spectrum of what he could do. It’s joyful, chaotic, ridiculous—and kind of heartfelt in that weird ‘90s “save the company, honor your dad, fight the evil stepmom” kind of way. I found myself wondering if someone didn’t just reverse-engineer a Disney animated plot and cast Farley in the lead.
Is it the best of the SNL movie bunch? Maybe not. Wayne’s World and Happy Gilmore might have more iconic scenes. But Tommy Boy has heart. And a road trip. And one hell of a bread roll scene.
Rewatchable? Absolutely. Quotable? You bet your fat guy in a little coat it is.
