Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
"Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!"

1995 PG-13 / Comedy Spoof Directed by: Betty Thomas Starring: Gary Cole, Shelley Long, Christine Taylor

Tagline

They're back to save America from the '90s

Summary Capsule

The Brady Bunch are transplanted into the 90s while remaining ignorant of the changes.

Mutant Meter

Movie Store [proceeds go toward monthly MRFH upkeep]

DVD | Soundtrack (Score)

Justin's Rating: Astroturf beats grass ANY DAY!
Justin's Review: Before you gasp in utter disbelief that we, your trusty MRFH reviewers, would recommend the Brady Bunch as a cult presence, you need to realize that this is NOTHING like the series or the weak made-for-TV movies. We wouldn't do that to you. Well maybe we would, but we'd regret it in the morning.

"Trash the 70's, trash the 90's. It's all good."

The Brady Bunch Movie is a stroke of genius in using an old cult sitcom to make a new movie with a twist. The family, the house, the situations are all the same... except that through some weird Twilight Zonish surprise, they are living in 1990's LA. Never have the ugly 70's clashed so horribly (or so funnily) with the garbled 90's. The IRS wants to claim their house, Mr. Brady tries to sell antiquated designs to his architecture firm, a lesbian falls in love with Marsha, Jan gets possessed, Cindy is an unwitting tattle-teller, Greg tries to become a rock star, Peter enters sex ed, and Bobby becomes a Gestapo security guard. It's utterly bizarre — but it works splendidly. The world around them looks at them with disdain and treats them like crap, but the Bradys continue on with song, dance, and Mr. Brady's numerous moral lectures.

For anyone who's seen the original show, the numerous subplots and 70's viewpoint are very familiar — some lifted directly from the show (such as Marcia getting hit with a football on the nose). If it wasn't for the modern-day setting, then the potato sack race, the singing numbers, and the constant whining would be all but unbearable. But the clash of the two worlds results in a bright, hip comedy that features great quotes and smart, hilarious scenes. In an era where we are worshipping the seventies like it was the Golden Age of Everything, I love to see movies like this that remind us that the "far-out" expressions, hideous outfits, and unrealistic TV sitcoms was a 10-year joke from a higher power.

Part of what makes The Brady Bunch so enjoyable to watch is that you think the Bradys are dorks, but the 90's environment in which they live is equally stupid and mean. The melding of the two creates new outlooks on life, most of which are utterly insane. So Mrs. Brady buys 20 pounds of red meat because she "has a growing family," and Marsha is utterly oblivious to the fact that her best female friend is hitting on her. It goes against the grain to our approval.

The story revolves around a typical Brady situation: they owe back taxes and must come up with $20,000 in order to save their house. Their next door neighbor, a mean-spirited Mr. Dittmeyer (SNL's Michael McKean), does everything in his power to see this doesn't happen. But with typical Brady aplomb, the impossible becomes possible.

Due to its episodic nature, The Brady Bunch Movie is perfect for those with short attention spans and parties in general. Trash the 70's, trash the 90's. It's all good. Very, very good.

PoolMan's Rating: You know, it just might be me, but seeing a woman get hit in the butt with a newspaper occasionally provides for some great entertainment.
PoolMan's Review: I started laughing the second this movie opened, and kept going for pretty much the whole time. The Brady Bunch Movie is a great study in humourous contrast. Not unlike the mega-successful Austin Power: International Man of Mystery, The Brady Movie features a cast of characters awkward decades out of date. The Bunch are pretty much as we remember them from the 70's. Well, almost.

"Jan's 'inner voice' makes frequent voiceovers, and leans heavily in the mildly psychotic direction."

I think what grabbed me most is that on a surface level, Mike, Carol, and the whole Brady brood seem pretty much as they always have. There's a Cleaveresque naivety to the group that's a lot of fun. But what's funnier are the constant references to life in the 90's (carjacks, etc) . What's even better is the sexual innuendoes abound, particularly between the Brady parents and Alice and Sam. It's too much fun to pass up.

The plot is really just a device to move the gags along, but what did you expect? The entire neighbourhood is being sold off by one greedy neighbour, with the exception of the unwilling Bradys, to make room for a mall, or a parking lot, or a parking lot mall. Who can tell these days? Because said neighbour has been getting their mail, their taxes have gone unpaid, and their home is to be auctioned off. This leaves the family struggling to come up with a way to save the homestead. Of course, they're unbelievably optimistic the whole time.

One particularly funny point that really is worth mentioning. The whole family isn't so upbeat. Jan's "inner voice" makes frequent voiceovers, and leans heavily in the mildly psychotic direction. Towards the end, you can't help but be reminded of The Exorcist. Heaven help us!

The movie gets a little long in the tooth towards the end as we see the kids brainstorming on how to save their home from the impending doom of the auctioneer's block, but on the whole, the film stays really light, and gives lots of good laughs.

Okay, it's bubblegum for the mind, but hey, what's wrong with that? Give it a rent. You'll enjoy yourself.

Why am I reminded of my family's last Christmas photo here? God bless your crazy head, Jan Brady! "Ummm... yeah..."

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• The freeway signs at the beginning
• The Partridge Family bus
• Every innuendo the Bradys don't get
• While Peter does not utter his most famous catchphrase, "Pork Chops And Applesauce," the phrase does appear on the kitchen's blackboard menu.
• I counted cameos by four original cast members. Did you?
• RuPaul as the guidance counsellor (Mrs Cummings... ew!)
• The Monkees as the judges for the music contest
• The reference to Buckaroo Bonzai (see Groovy Quotes)
• Peter's hit song
• The power line maintainance guy has a lisp like Cindy's
• Marcia's To-Do list

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

Nope.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

As he heads off to his business meeting, Carol Brady tells her husband, Mike, to "Go get 'em, Tiger", and then wonders to herself "Tiger, Tiger: what ever happened to that dog?" Tiger was the name of the Bradys' dog in the TV series. But, after the first two seasons, the dog was never seen again, even though his dog house was still out back. The movie is supposed to take place in the later seasons. So, that line is an inside joke to the show.

A lot of scenes shown in trailers were cut at the last minute due to objection from producer Sherwood Schwartz. These included a grunge band scene in the garage with Greg and Eddie, and a seduction scene between the neighbour's wife and Peter.

The producers had unsuccessfully sought to use the original house that was used for exterior shots from the original Brady Bunch series, but the owners of the home in North Hollywood, California refused due to many years of seeking fans who've trespassed. Instead, they found a similar home in nearby Encino, and erected a facade, and actually filmed scenes in the front yard.

Groovy Quotes

Mr. Dittmeyer: Nice of you to climb out from under your hangover!

Dina: Tell your daddy next Christmas I'd love to wrap his package.

Eddie: Okay everybody out, this is a carjack!
Greg: Well of course this is a car, but my name's not Jack, it's Greg.

Eric: She's harder to get into than a Pearl Jam concert.

Greg: Well, you just tell the guy you don't want to go out with something came up.
Marsha: And that works?
Greg: Sure. Girls say it to me all the time.

Carol: Time to put your bookmark in, Mr Brady.

Carol: Oh Marsha, it looks like rain. You'd better take your shawl. How about you, Doug? Do you have protection?
Doug: Oh yes, ma'am. Assorted colours and textures.

Mike: And as a wise man once said, wherever you go, there you are.

Greg: Let's face it. Johnny Bravo is nothing but Johnny Rotten.

[Doug kisses Marcia.]
Marcia: Doug! I think I just felt your tongue in my mouth.
Doug: It's called a french kiss.
Marcia: But I thought you were from Nebraska!

Mike Brady: Put on your Sunday best kids; we're going to Sears!

Charlie: Marcia, I think I just felt your tongue in my mouth.
Marcia: It's called a French kiss, Charlie.
Charlie: Um, Marcia, I gotta go. Uh... Something suddenly came up.

Greg: Hey there, groovy chicks. You're all hep in far out ways.

Bobby: Excuse me, officers, but I hate to ask a law enforcement official to bend the rules, especially for Penal Code 117, Section 33b, but our house is at stake.

Mike Brady: Our house is more important than money. This neighborhood is more important than money. Tell me. How many times have we borrowed each other's power tools or patched up each other's kids? We know so much about each other. I know that every January, Mr. Yeager is going to have that big Super Bowl party at his house. We know that every spring, Mrs. Simmons is going to have the prettiest daffodils on the block. We know that at 10:15 every Saturday morning, Mrs. Topping likes to walk through her living room naked. Call me old-fashioned, but these things are important, and they're not for sale. This is our neighborhood, and we're staying.

Jan's inner voice: Let's knock over a 7-11!

Jan: We'll have to go to a new school and make new friends!
Marcia: But Jan, you don't have any friends.

Greg: I thought of a way to save our house. I'm going to be a rock star!

Jan: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

If you liked this movie, try these:

• A Very Brady Sequel
• Wayne's World
• Tommy Boy