Bad/awesome flixxx review: Far Out Man (1990)

"Hey, don't you know who I am? I'm C. Thomas Howell! I was the black dude in "Soul Man"!" - C. Thomas Howell

"When I snap my fingers, you're going to call me a cab and write me a check for $20,000." - Dr. Liddledick

"Little dick, huh? Well, at least you've got one." - Far Out Man

Not much to this one, except a ton of cameos. I'm not sure if they were all just Chong's friends or what. A lot of people play themselves. There's a lot of breaking the fourth wall and other weird attempts (?) at comedy which is what the movie is labeled as. In the beginning credits it says: A TOMMY CHONG ATTEMPT. So Chong, and his whole family with cameos by Judd Nelson, C Thomas Howell, Reynaldo Rey, Michael Winslow, Martin Mull and a ton of others star (?) in FAR OUT MAN!!!

When this one begins, Rae Dawn Chong (playing herself) is driving a shrink (Martin Mull) out to meet with her burnt out super rich father. Dr Liddledick (Mull) tries to hypnotize "Far Out Man" into figuring out his problem. Turns out his problem is that he never got over his second wife- Tree (Shelby Chong). Liddledick isn't really concerned about anything but money (like most people) so he tries to quickly get over the whole ordeal by suggesting that FOM hit the road. So taking the good Dr literally, FOM loads up his tiny trailer and hooks it up to his big rig and hits the road as a "roadie". Never negotiating any deal between any band or manager or club or agent, he just shows up and starts unloading guitars.

Tree is dating C Thomas Howell (playing himself). She has a really square son named Kyle. He listens to Mozart and reads books. Tree wanted to be in FOM's band once upon a time, but everyone thought she sucked so he kicked her out. He tried to be smooth about it, but it didn't go well. So its been years since he saw his son. Somehow, Tree and C T Howell get separated from Kyle and he begins to hitchhike and FOM picks him up and takes him along to the next gig in Fresno. Then they get into a bar fight. Finally they reach the gig. The TM (tour manager) for whatever band played (they never even really show them) asks FOM to get him some cocaine. But FOM doesn't do that shit. But the dude wants it bad, so FOM hits the drugstore and chops up a bunch of tylenol and aspirin and gives it to the dude swearing its "pure". The dude toots it and gives the performance of his career. Its the scene that most people remember from this movie. "GAHHHHHHHD-AMMNNN!!!!...... SHIT MAN...... GAHHHHDAMMNNNN." 

The TM O.D.'s and FOM brings him back to life with his electric guitar that shocks you. They fire him, so he heads back down south. Kyle has transformed into a punk rock kid and they pick up a few more hitchhikers on the way. Meanwhile Tree has been trying to find Kyle. FOM keeps bother Rae Dawn Chong on set and she keeps cleverly getting rid of him. Finally he runs into Tree driving a tow truck and she ditches C Thomas to ride with FOM. She tells him she's lost their son. So FOM goes on a hunt to find him and buys some toy guns thinking his son is still a little kid. Some hijinx ensue when he ends up walking onto an airfield sporting real looking toy machine guns.

Finally everyone figures out that Kyle is the son and FOM is psyched at how things work out. He never gets in any trouble, he just wanders through life in a fog, which is kind of how a lot of dudes get by. C Thomas Howell loses the flick he was trying to get and he slanders Judd Nelson, then meets him and kisses his ass, then Tree gets offered a part in the flick he just lost the role in. He has a HUGE hissy fit and is kind of taking the piss out of the industry and himself and the "bratpack", but what's ironic is that I can't think of a single flick he did after this until I saw the new AMAZING SPIDERMAN (2012) last week. Weird. But anyway, should you see this? Nah, actually don't waste your time, just youtube the clip with Lou the Tour Manager. It's far out. man.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012