Tommy Boy (1995) - Review of the 4K Ultra HD Edition

      Tommy Boy, 1995.

      Directed by Peter Segal.

      Starring Chris Farley, David Spade, Bo Derek, and Rob Lowe.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Paramount has released a new 4K Ultra HD edition of Tommy Boy from 1995, featuring Chris Farley, David Spade, Bo Derek, and Rob Lowe. The package includes a Blu-ray with the film and its legacy bonus features, in addition to a digital copy code. The film looks impressive, as expected, and while no new extras were created for this release, there is still an ample amount of content for a movie of this nature.

      I miss Chris Farley. As a member of Generation X, he played a significant role in my twenties, as I tuned in to Saturday Night Live almost every week. Before the age of social media and YouTube, it was an essential show for me, even when I was in California and had to watch the delayed broadcast. If something outrageous happened during the live airing, I wouldn’t know until it was shown on the west coast.

      I've often contemplated what direction Farley's career might have taken if he had not passed away in 1997. Would he have been able to tackle more serious roles similar to those of Jim Carrey and John Belushi (another tragic loss)? I believe he could have. Beneath his exaggerated physical comedy, there was a palpable vulnerability that would have served him well had he lived to experience his 30s and 40s.

      This brings me to Tommy Boy, the 1995 film featuring Farley alongside his fellow SNL alum David Spade. The story is straightforward: Farley plays Tommy Callahan III, a dim-witted yet good-hearted son of a businessman (Brian Dennehy) who suddenly finds himself in charge after his father's death.

      Spade portrays Richard Hayden, a childhood acquaintance of Tommy and a rule-abiding employee at Callahan Auto. Unsurprisingly, he doesn't think much of Tommy, but "Big Tom" Callahan's passing forces him to team up with the owner's son as they attempt to save the company from being taken over by Tommy’s widowed stepmother (Bo Derek) and someone who appears to be his stepbrother (Rob Lowe).

      There is also a conveniently placed love interest for Tommy, Callahan employee Michelle Brock (Julie Warner), who also shares a childhood connection with him. The film follows a fairly predictable plot and offers an uplifting message by the end, but it is the chemistry between Spade and Farley that has allowed it to maintain its popularity over the 28 years since its lackluster box office run. They embody a classic odd couple dynamic, making their interactions enjoyable to watch.

      The story doesn’t completely hold together as I had hoped, and some parts didn’t resonate with me humor-wise (there’s also a particularly cringeworthy moment by today’s standards), yet I can understand why Tommy Boy has achieved a cult following on home video over the past three decades.

      This new 4K Ultra HD release from Paramount is marked as a 30th Anniversary Edition, and I understand it comes in three different formats. My review copy is presented as an attractive yellow SteelBook that includes a Blu-ray and a digital copy code.

      While no new extras were created for this release, what is available is sufficient. It could be argued that a tribute to Chris Farley should have been included (and I would agree), but perhaps that is being saved for a future 4K Ultra HD release, especially if this one performs well.

      The bonus features begin with a commentary track featuring director Peter Segal, providing an enjoyable discussion about the film. He does occasionally pause to watch and laugh, but offers plenty of insightful information.

      Following that are four featurettes: Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter (29:08), a light making-of piece (I prefer in-depth documentaries, but this one feels fitting); Stories From the Side of the Road (13:31), focusing on the movie’s road trip theme, which shares similarities with Planes, Trains and Automobiles; Just the Two of Us (9:46), which explores the friendship of Farley and Spade off camera; and Growing Up Farley (7:29), a touching segment featuring Chris’s brothers, John and Kevin, reminiscing about their childhood with him.

      Additionally, there are storyboard-to-scene comparisons lasting almost 14 minutes that examine seven scenes, over 30 minutes of deleted, extended, and alternate scenes (featuring lots of entertaining material since Farley and Spade did plenty of improvisation), a photo gallery, a gag reel, several TV commercials, and the theatrical trailer.

      Now that I’ve laid all that out, it certainly amounts to a worthwhile edition.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Brad Cook