John Cusack
Lane Meyer
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Better Off Dead is a 1985 American black comedy film written and directed by Savage Steve Holland. It stars John Cusack as high school student Lane Meyer, who becomes suicidal after his girlfriend breaks up with him shortly before Christmas.
- Garin Pirnia
- Better Off Dead is based on a true story. Savage Steve Holland wrote the script based on his own high school girlfriend, who did indeed leave him for the captain of the ski team.
- Henry Winkler played a part in getting the movie made. In the early 1980s, Holland’s short film, My 11-Year-Old Birthday Party, played at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
- Holland had to fight to cast John Cusack. At Winkler’s suggestion, Holland checked out Cusack in The Sure Thing, which Winkler executive produced. After seeing the movie, Holland thought Cusack was perfect for the role.
- John Cusack hated the movie (though he swears he didn't). It’s been widely reported that Cusack basically disowned the movie as soon as he saw it, which was the night before he was to begin filming Holland’s follow-up comedy, One Crazy Summer.
- David Konow
- It's based on real life. "Better Off Dead" was the creation of Savage Steve Holland, a promising young filmmaker just out of California Institute of the Arts.
- The director really had a stalker paperboy. Yes, Holland's real-life experiences are exaggerated for comedic effect in "Better Off Dead," and he, fortunately, found some humor in the trauma he endured.
- Henry Winkler helped get the movie made. After playing the Fonz on TV's "Happy Days," Henry Winkler reinvented himself as a producer and helped create the successful series "MacGyver."
- Holland desperately wanted John Cusack for the lead. John Cusack took off as an actor in the mid-'80s, with roles in the John Hughes classic "Sixteen Candles" and the Rob Reiner romantic comedy "The Sure Thing."
Oct 11, 1985 · Better Off Dead: Directed by Savage Steve Holland. With John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Demian Slade. After his girlfriend Beth Truss ditches him for boorish ski jock Roy Stalin, sad sack high school student Lane Meyer decides that suicide is the only answer.
- (50K)
- Comedy, Romance
- Savage Steve Holland
- 1985-10-11
The teenager Lane Meyer has a crush on his girlfriend Beth Truss. When Beth dumps him to stay with the successful skier Roy Stalin, Lane is depressed and decides to commit suicide. However he gives up and tries to improve his skill of skier to ski the dangerous K12 slope to impress Beth.
Better Off Dead is an anarchic mix of black humor and surreal comedy, anchored by John Cusack's winsome, charming performance. Read Critics Reviews
- (26)
- Comedy
- PG
Oct 29, 2023 · I watched Better Off The Dead for the first time since I was a kid. Here are six thoughts I have after revisiting the 1985 John Cusack movie.
