Rare Flix: Dudes (1987)

The downside to having a Genre-defying Film is that it isn't always easy to sell!  Today's Film is Dudes, a 1987 Comedy-Drama-Road Film-Western-Rock & Roll-Revenge-Coming of Age Film.  See what I mean?!?  This Film comes to us from Penelope Spheeris the previous Director of Documentaries like The Decline of Western Civilization and the future Director of Wayne's World!  Somewhere between those Films, she made one where Jon Cryer loves Punk Rock and has to learn to be a Cowboy.  Transitions aren't easy!  The story focuses on Cryer and his two friends as they go to California to start a new life.  The trip isn't completed- for reasons I'll get into- however and adventure ensues.  The Film is a pretty natural transition for Spheeris in one sense, since it features Flea and some other Musicians from the Punk Rock Scene in small to large roles.  It is weird to think of this very interesting Film with Jon Cryer and Superman IV being made so close together though.  Is this Film (which only got a Blu-Ray Release in 2017) worth remembering?  To find out, read on...

It is 1987 in New York (cue comment about awkward establishing shot) and three Punk Rock loving guys- Cryer, Daniel Roebuck and Flea) aren't happy.  Time for a change?

Using the latter's money, they try to drive cross-country to California.  Along the way, they stop and help out an Elvis Impersonator/Rodeo Clown.

I see no pay off to this coming down the line.

En route, however, they are accosted by a gang.  Led by a man 'named' Missoula (due to his tattoo), they are injured, broke and, oh yeah, one of them is dead.

Missoula is played by Lee Ving the Lead Singer of Fear, a band famous for 'slam dancing' on SNL in 1981 and a band represented via pin on Roebuck's jacket earlier.

With their friend's body missing and the boys being from New York City, the Cops don't believe them.

One wants to move on...

...but Cryer wants to man up and take revenge.  It's noble...to a point.

The other guy eventually comes around and they make an attempt, having caught up to them on the road.  It doesn't end well.

Meeting back up with a woman from earlier, the pair get some help.

While Cryer learns to open up (and shoot a gun properly), Roebuck...um, has visions of him being a Native American.  It's...interesting?

After some issues with finding them and a failed attempt to kill them, the pair end up in Prison.

Cops are killed and a shoot-out entails.  For some reason, I find the visual this shotgun blast (real or otherwise) hitting the wall to be funny.

It's like they shot a gas pellet!

Cryer eventually takes out one of the two bad guys and then shows mercy (after nearly killing him with a fall, to be fair).  Of course, they do the 'guy shoots at the hero and they can kill them anyways' bit.

A wounded Cryer sees the Cowboys he's witnessed in visions earlier and Flea is now with them.  Aw.  The End.

A good Film- at least when you consider how many kinds of Film it is.  It is a Road Movie.  It is a Buddy Comedy.  It is a Coming of Age Drama.  It is a Revenge Film.  It is a Western.  On paper, there is no way that this works.  In practice, I think it mostly does.  There is still a bit of a disconnect at certain points.  For instance, Cryer is having his moments of learning how to 'be a man,' while Roebuck is having his weird dream sequence.  I'm not sure that the two feel equally-earned.  The whole product is still quite enjoyable.  As a side part, the Film works as a really interesting time-capsule for Music and Style at the time.  Even considering that it focuses more on the Punk Rock/Hard Rock Scene, you can enjoy that part of it alot.  I think the Acting overall is what really holds this together.  Aside from Roebuck's moments of insanity, everyone feels 'real,' which isn't something you always get in these.  Cryer holds the Film together with his performance, so good on him.  Clearly the same care wasn't put into him as 'Lenny Luthor,' but I don't really blame him 100% for that.  Dudes was, for the longest time, a bit of lost Cult Classic.  Thanks to a fairly-recent Blu-Ray, that might change in the long run.  Because, remember, the more things change, the more they stay the same...

Next up, a 3-part look at some Kung-Fu Films from America.  With America's current obsession with Tigers, this seems like the best time.  Stay tuned...