Themes: Mad Scientists, Experiments Gone Awry, Drug Addiction
Main Cast: Dave Foley, Dave Foley, Dave Foley, Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Bruce McCulloch, Bruce McCulloch, Bruce McCulloch, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Mark McKinney, Mark McKinney, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson, Scott Thompson, Scott Thompson, Scott Thompson, Scott Thompson
Release Year: 1996
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
The Canadian sketch-comedy masters hit the big screen with Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy, their send-up of psychopharmacology and its social ramifications. Each "kid" plays a plethora of roles; in fact, nearly every character in the film is played by one of the five "kids". When Roritor Pharmaceuticals finds itself on the verge of bankruptcy, research chemist Chris Cooper (Kevin McDonald) finds himself pressured to push his latest development to market without adequate testing at the risk of losing his job. The product -- Gleemonex, an anti-depressant bearing more than a slight resemblance to Prozac -- seems at first to be a wonder drug; users find themselves in a perpetual state of bliss as they relive their fondest memories time and again. Success goes awry, however, when a fatal side-effect surfaces -- users become catatonics. The craze has caught on, however, and the entire world seems to be taking Gleemonex, forcing Dr. Cooper to fight his employers and warn the masses before disaster strikes. The plot is really just an excuse for a series of funny, hallucinogenic sketches involving the memories and fantasies of its users; the funniest include a grandmother's all-too brief holiday visit with her family, and a married man's homoerotic experiences in the military. Another winning scene: a brooding grunge-rock idol (Bruce McCulloch) who's taken the drug unexpectedly changes his tune at a concert to the bewilderment of his angst-hungry fans. Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy is hit-or-miss satire, but much of the humor finds its mark in this humble, surprisingly intelligent film. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
Review
Kids in the Hall are so very reminiscent of Monty Python. First of all, there just aren't that many comedy troupes -- especially funny ones. They also have the same snappy pacing (though not as fast as the Brits), which never leaves one hanging for very long onto a stale joke. But, of course, the most important similarities are the offbeat, incisive humor and the almost total lack of humility. Like Python's own forays into cinema, Brain Candy is a hit and miss affair. It's the nature of the comedy beast borne from sketches, and this movie has a disjointed, sketchy feel to it. It's not as thin as your average Saturday Night Live vehicle, and it's more focused than Monty Python's Meaning of Life, but it's not as funny or important as Monty Python and the Holy Grail or The Life of Brian. It's probably destined to be a cult film, especially since the Kids reformed for this effort and have no plans to work together again. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
Paul Denham Austerberry - Art Director, Ross Clydesdale - Casting, Barnaby Thompson - Co-producer, Richard S. Wright - Co-producer, Delphine White - Costume Designer, Walter Gasparovic - First Assistant Director, Kelly Makin - Director, Christopher Cooper - Editor, Tom Rosenberg - Executive Producer, Sigurjon Sighvatsson - Executive Producer, David Steinberg - Executive Producer, Bruce McCulloch - Composer (Music Score), Craig Northey - Composer (Music Score), Steven Drake - Composer (Music Score), G. Marq Roswell - Musical Direction/Supervision, Craig Northey - Songwriter, Gregory Keen - Production Designer, David A. Makin - Cinematographer, Lorne Michaels - Producer, Martin Walters - Producer, Tim O'Connell - Sound/Sound Designer, Bruce Carwardine - Sound/Sound Designer, Don White - Sound/Sound Designer, Dave Appleby - Sound/Sound Designer, Keith Elliott - Sound/Sound Designer, Yuri Gorbachow - Sound Editor, Jane Tattersall - Sound Editor, Andy Malcolm - Sound Editor, Fred Brennan - Sound Editor, Sue Conley - Sound Editor, Norm Hiscock - Screenwriter, Bruce McCulloch - Screenwriter, Kevin McDonald - Screenwriter, Mark McKinney - Screenwriter, Scott Thompson - Screenwriter, David McCallum - Sound Effects Editor
