Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy

1996 dopiness

Rating: 12/20

Plot: Scientist Dr. Chris Cooper is working on a pill that cures depression. When the pharmaceutical company bosses start making budget cuts left and right, Cooper feels forced to release his drug even though he and his team are really still in the experimentation stages. The drug works by causing the depressed to focus on their happiest memory and the pharmaceutical company makes a zillion dollars even, to the delight of the company's president, outselling penicillin. Unfortunately, things might be too good to be true.

The Kids' first and only movie has its moments, and it is fun to watch the five of them playing about thirty different roles. The story's strong enough and the satire clicks, both which separate this from a movie inspired by a Saturday Night Live sketch, but the writing is a little too ADHD. Tangents, tangents, tangents. Focus was needed to stretch the idea into a coherent hour and a half. Of course, some of the most random bits are also the funniest bits, so what do I know? Some of the comedy falls flat, and there are a lot of minor characters I really would have liked to see more. I bet they really dig this in Canada!

EDIT: Recommended by my sister-in-law, not my brother as earlier reported. She told me today that I need to see it multiple times.