This engagingly nutty farce stars TV icons John Larroquette and Kirstie Alley as Mark and Jessie Bannister, an average, fairly successful L.A. couple who've just moved into their dream home. Wouldn't you know it: their serenity is almost immediately interrupted by a nonstop barrage of uninvited house guests. Circumstances spiral way out of control, ensuring that these human pests are obliged to stay at Mark and Jessies' place for an extended period of time.
At best, the material by debuting writer / director Tom Ropelewski is no more than mildly amusing. It's certainly not for everybody, considering just how abominable some of these characters are, such as Jessica Lundys' obnoxious Bernice, the wife of Marks' cousin Fred (John Diehl), bratty psycho in training C.K. (Aeryk Egan), the son of the next door neighbour Dale (played by The Exterminator, a.k.a. actor Robert Ginty), or Jessies' spoiled rotten, stuck up, gold digging sister Claudia (Alison La Placa). But the cast is so good that they keep this wacky comedy watchable for 91 minutes.
By the time the movie has ended, we'll see a baby elephant running amok, a pet cat that steadily uses up a number of its nine lives, a police raid, an on air nervous breakdown for reporter Jessie, a harness designed for the pregnant Bernice when she slips and falls, and some remodelling (when Dale and his brood move in, he takes it upon himself to make bleachers (!) for the TV set).
This talented cast makes the most of the situation; Larroquette, Diehl, and La Placa are particularly funny. Also appearing are Bradley Gregg as Claudias' no-good son Jonathan, and Dennis Miller (making his film debut), sporting his ridiculous early 90s hair as Marks' co-worker Wes.
It's all too easy to sympathize with our heroes as they try to take back their house.
Six out of 10.
