Main Cast: Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Leslie Hope, Keith David, John Getz, Dean Cameron
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 98 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
A pair of garbage workers (Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez) are shocked to find the body of a city councilman in one of their trash cans. With help from a supervisor (Keith David), the duo must solve the case and find the man's killer while hiding the body from the cops. Estevez also directed and provided the screenplay for Men at Work. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
Review
Men at Work may never be loved beyond its marginal cult following, but for those who did indeed "get it," the squabbling of real-life brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen is a hoot. Before both brothers starred in out-and-out spoofs (Sheen in the Hot Shots movies, Estevez in Loaded Weapon 1), they cut their teeth in this goofy look at garbage men caught up in intrigue and a dumpster's worth of slapstick comedy. It's hard not to grin watching Sheen strangle Estevez while shouting "You're a stupid little man!" Men at Work may not be for everyone, but for those who suck up this obnoxious humor with a straw, it's plenty tickling. Even more gonzo is Keith David as their shell-shocked supervisor, a Nam veteran who sniffs an ambush around every corner. It's not that jokes like this are so funny or original, per se, but that David in this case -- and Sheen and Estevez in others -- handles them with such bug-eyed intensity, the sheer energy level is a gas. Writer/director Estevez was smart to cast his brother opposite him, since the two have great onscreen chemistry. No doubt, some will find Men at Work eye-rollingly stupid, but those in the right frame of mind might just want to join that cult following. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Hawk Wolinski - Biff; John LavachieIIi - Mario; Geoffrey Blake - Frost; Cameron Dye - Luzinski; Troy Evans - Capt. Dalton; Deborah Fallender; Tommy Hinkley - Jeff; Darrell Larson - Jack Berger; John Putch - Mike; Sy Richardson - Walt Richardson; Erik Stabenau; Eddie Braun - Henchman; Brad Wyman - Rent-a-Cop; Bob Brown - Henchman; Kari Whitman - Judy; Robert Burns; Bobby Burns - Henchman #3; Matt Robinson - Rent-A-Cop
Credit
Patricia Klawonn - Art Director, Frances Fleming - Associate Producer, Marci Liroff - Casting, Keith G. Lewis - Costume Designer, Emilio Estevez - Director, Craig Bassett - Editor, Moshe Diamant - Executive Producer, Irwin Yablans - Executive Producer, Stewart Copeland - Composer (Music Score), Greg de Belles - Composer (Music Score), Jonathan Scott Bogner - Musical Direction/Supervision, Albert Hammond - Songwriter, Terry Shaddick - Songwriter, Diane Warren - Songwriter, Mark Ross - Songwriter, Jeanne Van Phue - Makeup, Dina Danielson - Production Designer, Gordon Wolf - Production Designer, Dins Danielsen - Production Designer, Tim Suhrstedt - Cinematographer, Cassian Elwes - Producer, Will Combs - Set Designer, Buddy Enright - Set Designer, Thomas F. Sindicich - Special Effects, Bud Davis - Stunts, Emilio Estevez - Screenwriter, Ruggiero Leoncavallo - Featured Music
Carl Taylor (Sheen) and James St. James (Estevez) are a pair of troublemaking garbagemen who dream of owning a surf shop. The two uncover an illegal toxic dumping operation in their own city, Las Playas. The movie begins with the pair collecting trash as they usually do with tossed garbage cans in the street and noise to wake everyone up. A pair of local cops hassle them almost everyday, but Carl and James seem to have gotten used to this treatment by now.
After work the pair peeps on a girl with a telescope and discover that she is being mistreated by the man who is with her. Determined to right the wrong, Carl shoots the man in the rear with a pellet gun from far away. He and James both then hide and laugh. Shortly after their incident the man is strangled and ends up found the next day by Carl and James. They decide that turning in the body would implicate themselves as they shot him with a pellet gun earlier.
Carl and James ask the advice of crazed Vietnam vet Louis Fedders who helps them to stash the body. Louis kidnapps the Pizza Delivery guy who ends up helping them put a stop to the toxic dumping plot. Louis even helps the trash men get even with the cops that always gave them trouble. By the film's end Carl, James and Louis have discovered a large toxic dumping operation and brought down those responsible.
Production
The original screenplay was tentatively titled Clear Intent and slated to star another Brat Packer alongside Estevez.[1] The majority of the movie was shot in Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach in California.
Reception
The film was not critically well-received, characterized by one reviewer as "a good-natured lowbrow farce",[2] and earning only a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[3] Considering its relatively small production budget, Men at Work did well in theaters, grossing $16,247,964 USD, $3,184,311 of that within the first week.[4]
