Going Berserk

It's not really a story film, despite the goings-on of John Candy, who's a limo driver with squirrelly acquaintances and his efforts to marry Alley Mills. She's the daughter of Congressman Pat Hingle. A cult led by Richard Libertini is trying to kill Hingle, and they figure to hypnotize Candy into doing it because why not?

It's an excuse for the members of the cast who were members of Second City -- Candy, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty -- to do Second-City-style sketches. they range from mediocre to pretty funny. There's also the inevitable bit, when they have Candy hypnotized, that they seem to think it is very funny to have him do.... nothing. Film makers seem to think that this is funny. I do not.

Your enjoyment of this film will depend on your taste in comedy and whether you enjoy Second City.

Yeah,it's low budget. Yeah,it's one of Candy's earliest films, but it is maybe his funniest! John Candy was not so far removed from his SCTV days in "Going Berserk" and it shows. If you don't crack up when Candy tries to help a guy with his groceries while being hand-cuffed to an escaped cohort in the process of having sex with his girlfriend with only the apartment door separating them (huh?, see the movie!), or the way Euguene Levy (the creator of Kong Fu Yu) is talking to his mom on the phone, or just the countless number of facial expressions that only Candy could deliver you better check your pulse! If you like the John Candy of "Only the Lonely" this may not be a movie I would advise you to see, but if you enjoy the SCTV days of John Candy, this movie is a must see!

It's not the most sophisticated movie in the world but if you can get past that (and if you can find a copy!), "Going Berserk" is loaded with laughs. Candy's portrayal is offbeat and hilarious. Steinberg's script has absurdities in it that are hysterical. I laugh everytime I watch it even though I know what's coming next. Worth your while to seek it out and turn off the high-brow expectations we assign to most movies and just laugh.

This is raunchy comedy at its best... "I'd like to sing a song, with my d!ck in my hand, just for you honey". Before American Pie this was the epitome of teen comedy. Home of one of the greatest comic spectacles of all time "Kung Fu You" this movie easily wraps you up and will not let you go until you hear Blue Moon at the end. This film also serves as one of the best times a song at the opening credits was actually well done. If you can find it, I suggest that you purchase it.

John Candy. Need we say more? He is the main reason you should see this film. Most people don't realize how gifted he was as an actor. Witness him changing from poor slob to horny jerk. Just a simple(subtle) facial change and off we go. There are many great bits in this movie and many really dumb bits. The best moments for me are the KUNG FU U scenes as well as the great moment when John(in a trance) goes up on stage and talks about how much he loves his girlfriend-that is how much he and his genitals love his girlfriend. I'm sure reading this you might think this sequence sounds really crude. It is, but it is also very funny mainly because it is John Candy doing this bit. The story in general is pretty lame and Eugene Levy and Joe Flaherty(both SCTV alumni with Candy) are not given enough to do in the film. Levy has his moments, especially filming the wedding at the end(think Rod Serling) and the great scene when he is talking to his mother on the phone. Overall a good movie if you have had a tough day and need to put your brain on stupid. I give this one 4 out of 10.