Johnny DangerouslyCrime can be dangerous business, but that doesn't mean it can't be good for some laughs. Johnny Dangerously is a satirical comedy that spoofs the style of Prohibition-era gangster films like The Godfather. Johnny Dangerously is filled with plenty of comic stars, copious sight gags and innuendo, and contemporary anachronisms, all with an opening song by "Weird Al" Yankovic--called "This Is the Life"--to set the tone. When a young boy tries to steal a puppy from the pet store of Johnny Kelly (Michael Keaton), the observant owner regales the lad with the story of his highs and lows in the world of organized crime under his alias of "Johnny Dangerously".
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When Johnny was a kid, he was made an offer he couldn't refuse by Jocko Dundee (Peter Boyle), one of the biggest gangsters in New York circa 1910. Although Johnny was initially opposed to taking up Dundee's offer because he knew he'd have to do something illegal, he shakes this concern when he finds the compensation is what he needs to get his mom (Maureen Stapleton) an operation--one of many of varying relevance from a price-gouging doctor. After Johnny saves Dundee from the clutches of his rival, Roman Moronie (Richard Dimitri)--a gangster whose speech impediment turns every ostensible curse word into comedy gold--Johnny finds he has an aptitude for the life, and adopts the pseudonym of "Johnny Dangerously". But as the years roll on, Johnny has to keep his secret from his mom and his virtuous brother, Tommy (Griffin Dunne), who has a promising career as a crimefighting lawyer ahead of him. As Johnny savors the good life, he falls for the lovely lounge singer, Lil Sheridan (Marilu Henner), despite her initial protestations, since each rebuttal only piques his interest. Johnny also manages to keep his brother in law school, despite his urges to marry and "get laid", with a disarming education film as his secret weapon. But the ongoing war with Moronie and Dundee continues, even with Dundee's recruitment of unsavory new members like Johnny's childhood rival, the twisted Danny Vermin (Joe Piscopo), and his signature ".88 Magnum" pistol. When Dundee turns the reins of the business over to Johnny, things seem to be going well...until Tommy turns out to be too good at his job, threatening the comfortable relationship the mob has with the office of District Attorney Burr (Danny DeVito). And when Tommy ultimately refuses to "play ball" and be corrupted by graft, an accident forces Johnny's hand and causes a rift which gets him sent to "The Big House". Johnny has to use all his resourcefulness, charisma, and connections to prove in the end where his loyalties lie.
As a spoof, Johnny Dangerously relies on delivering jokes rapid-fire--like a Tommy Gun. There's Dundee's vintage automobile (which is actually a touch too modern for 1910), with a bumper sticker that reads "I'd Rather Be Stealing", or Mom Kelly's surprising instances of colorful language, or commenting during a blizzard that it's "the worst July in years"...even Johnny's use of a price gun and security sensors on his puppies speaks to the anachronistic humor. Moronie is one of the most outlandish and hysterical of these gags, his "murdering" of the English language tip-toeing past censors but attentive audiences are fully aware of what he's saying. Early trailers for Johnny Dangerously played up the casting, including Joe Piscopo's current membership on "Saturday Night Live", and Michael Keaton's comedy history in films including Mr. Mom. In fact, some of the anachronistic jokes are very Eighties, like how Johnny's eating sushi in prison, or his speech to try to convince his gang to follow his lead and give up crime, talking about "diversity" and how "a couple of Japanese gangs will come along and do it cheaper", ironically suggesting elements from his next film, Gung Ho. That said, some of the anachronisms have become more obscure with time--I personally had to look up the bit with the malt liquor and the bull to get the joke, funny as it is without it. Lots of the humor is of the slapstick variety, mixing barroom brawls and "Three Stooges" kind of antics, which makes sense for the setting. Some of the delightfully goofy moments include the race to the movie theater to save Tommy in a car covered in shelf paper, and the increasingly dumbfounded dispatcher who is forced to describe the car's increasingly bizarre appearance. Johnny Dangerously is not above playing up a good deal of sexual humor as well--such as Tommy's urges or Johnny's business card having "been to Heaven"--while still coloring within the lines of its PG-13 rating. Other running gags complete the comedy package of Johnny Dangerously, like Vermin's comments about his family members doing things to him "once...once". This humor keeps the potentially deadly gangster story of Johnny Dangerously consistently light and jovial, good for lots of yuks.
Recommended for: Fans of a funny and light-hearted take on gangster films, with plenty of silly action, innuendo, and gags galore. Johnny Dangerously is also an early comedic role for Michael Keaton before he was cast into more defining dramatic roles later in his career.
As a spoof, Johnny Dangerously relies on delivering jokes rapid-fire--like a Tommy Gun. There's Dundee's vintage automobile (which is actually a touch too modern for 1910), with a bumper sticker that reads "I'd Rather Be Stealing", or Mom Kelly's surprising instances of colorful language, or commenting during a blizzard that it's "the worst July in years"...even Johnny's use of a price gun and security sensors on his puppies speaks to the anachronistic humor. Moronie is one of the most outlandish and hysterical of these gags, his "murdering" of the English language tip-toeing past censors but attentive audiences are fully aware of what he's saying. Early trailers for Johnny Dangerously played up the casting, including Joe Piscopo's current membership on "Saturday Night Live", and Michael Keaton's comedy history in films including Mr. Mom. In fact, some of the anachronistic jokes are very Eighties, like how Johnny's eating sushi in prison, or his speech to try to convince his gang to follow his lead and give up crime, talking about "diversity" and how "a couple of Japanese gangs will come along and do it cheaper", ironically suggesting elements from his next film, Gung Ho. That said, some of the anachronisms have become more obscure with time--I personally had to look up the bit with the malt liquor and the bull to get the joke, funny as it is without it. Lots of the humor is of the slapstick variety, mixing barroom brawls and "Three Stooges" kind of antics, which makes sense for the setting. Some of the delightfully goofy moments include the race to the movie theater to save Tommy in a car covered in shelf paper, and the increasingly dumbfounded dispatcher who is forced to describe the car's increasingly bizarre appearance. Johnny Dangerously is not above playing up a good deal of sexual humor as well--such as Tommy's urges or Johnny's business card having "been to Heaven"--while still coloring within the lines of its PG-13 rating. Other running gags complete the comedy package of Johnny Dangerously, like Vermin's comments about his family members doing things to him "once...once". This humor keeps the potentially deadly gangster story of Johnny Dangerously consistently light and jovial, good for lots of yuks.
Recommended for: Fans of a funny and light-hearted take on gangster films, with plenty of silly action, innuendo, and gags galore. Johnny Dangerously is also an early comedic role for Michael Keaton before he was cast into more defining dramatic roles later in his career.