Main Cast: James Belushi, John Ritter, Barbara Barrie, Bill Morey, Iva Andersen
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 86 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
A CIA agent recruits a meek family man for a secret mission involving interstellar communication and copious violence in this tongue-in-cheek buddy flick from the writer/producer of The Golden Child. Insurance salesman Bob Wilson (John Ritter) is the kind of guy who stands by while suburban punks steal his kid's bike. Nick Pirandello (James Belushi) is the exact opposite -- a brash, womanizing alpha male revered within the CIA for his many successful secret missions. When a fellow agent who looks exactly like Bob gets killed just days before he's due to head up a very delicate mission, Nick recruits the reluctant Bob to help out. As Bob gets drawn deeper into a world of Russian hit men, transsexual beauties, and secret-agent hijinks, he slowly gains the self-confidence that's always escaped him. Meanwhile, he's constantly at the mercy of Nick's tongue-in-cheek humor, so he's a little skeptical when Nick reveals that the big meeting is with a group of aliens who want to share their advanced technology with humans. As it turns out, there may be something to Nick's outrageous story -- if only Bob can survive long enough to find out. The lone directorial credit for screenwriter/producer Dennis Feldman, Real Men features Barney Miller vet Barbara Barrie in a supporting role as Nick's placid, accommodating mother. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Review
Wearing its patent ridiculousness on its sleeve, this slight but generally agreeable comedy integrates the Airplane/Top Secret school of non-sequitur comedy in to a less explicitly parodic buddy flick. The snide James Belushi comes off like a poor man's Bill Murray, but he's watchable enough in his cheerful obnoxiousness; so is John Ritter, whose slow, careful transformation from a timid schlub to a preening he-man is a cut above the rest of the film. Barbara Barrie and Dyanne Thorne have a couple of fun cameos, helping cement the film's likable loopiness. But the fact that screenwriter and novice director Dennis Feldman never again ventured behind the camera is no great tragedy. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
Gail Barle - Sherry; Mark Herrier - Bradshaw; Matthew Brooks - Bob Jr; Barbara Bingham - Woman in Park; Richard Brestoff - Henderson; Ed Corbett - Meat Hawker; Barry Doe - Meat Hawker; Bruce M. Fischer - Steelworker; Isabella Hofmann - Barbara; Todd Jeffries - Cop; Buck Kartalian - Produce Hawker; James LeGros - Buddy MacGruder; Brian Libby - Steelworker; Peter Looney - Stiletto Man; Travis McKenna - Oaf; Hardy Rawls - Cop; Dyanne Thorne - Dad; Charles Walker - Mahoney; Stan Kamber - Bartender; Richard Partlow - Perkmeyer; Suzee Slater - Woman in Bed; Don Dolan - Ufoe
Credit
William J. Cassidy - Art Director, James Allen - Art Director, Randy Johnson - Boom Operator, Lynn Stalmaster - Casting, David Rubin - Casting, Ralph Rosenblum - Consultant/advisor, Jodie Lynne Tillen - Costume Designer, Allan Wertheim - First Assistant Director, Dennis Feldman - Director, Dick Ziker - Second Unit Director, Malcolm Campbell - Editor, Glenn Farr - Editor, Louis A. Stroller - Executive Producer, Stephen Robinette - Hair Styles, Ronald L. Carr - Location Manager, Brian O. Haynes - Location Manager, Christopher Ursitti - Location Manager, Miles Goodman - Composer (Music Score), Monty Westmore - Makeup, Pernell Youngblood Tyus - Camera Operator, John A. Alonzo - Cinematographer, Martin Bregman - Producer, Dennis Feldman - Producer, Daniel Maltese - Set Designer, Tom Pedigo - Set Designer, Stan Parks - Special Effects, D. Kerry Prior - Special Effects, Scott Beattie - Special Effects, Michael Bigelow - Special Effects, Justin Klarenbeck - Special Effects, Michael Shea - Special Effects, Keith A. Wester - Sound/Sound Designer, Samuel C. Crutcher - Sound Editor, Jack Fitzstephens - Sound Editor, Al Nahmias - Sound Editor, Jess Soraci - Sound Editor, Dick Ziker - Stunts, Jimmy Romano - Stunts, Dick Ziker - Stunts Coordinator, William H. Watkins - Unit Production Manager, Dennis Feldman - Screenwriter, Joan Eisenberg - Unit Publicist, Horace Jordan - First Assistant Camera, Bud Heller - Key Grip, Nancy Fogarty - Music Editor, Gregg H. Bilson - Properties Master, Jack Cooley - Re-Recording Mixer, Betty Goldberg - Script Supervisor, Christine Larson - Second Assistant Director, Bruce Birmelin - Still Photographer, Harriet Fidlow - ADR Editor, Paul J. Zydel - ADR Mixer, Stan Cockerell - Assistant Properties, Greg Smith - Camera Loader, Stuart A. Spohn - Chief Lighting Technician, Phil Read - Construction Coordinator, Robert Chase - Costumes Supervisor, Steven W. Gage - Dolly Grip, Jane Lang - Foley Editor, Tony Leonardi - Scenic Artist, Dana Christiaansen - Second Assistant Camera, Stephen St. John - Second Assistant Camera, Susan C. Ingram - Second Assistant Camera, Greg Van Dyke - Transportation Coordinator, Jim Gerwig - Craft Service/Catering, Donah Bassett - Negative Cutter
Real Men is a 1987 comedy/sci-fifilm starring James Belushi and John Ritter as the heroes: suave, womanizing CIA agent Nick Pirandello (Belushi) and weak and ineffectual insurance agent Bob Wilson (Ritter).
Plot
CIA Agent Pillbox (a second role played by Ritter) has been negotiating with aliens (referred to as Ufoes) for seven years over a "good package" that would counter a biological accident that will wipe out all life on Earth in five years. The Ufoes will trade the package for a glass of water. However, another item up for trade is a Big Gun that could destroy a whole planet, and a CIA faction wants us to trade for the Gun for possible use against the Russians (overlooking that using the gun would destroy the whole planet as well). During a practice run of the meeting with the Ufoes, Pillbox is assassinated by someone from the CIA, so CIA head Millard Cunard (Morey) decides to do something drastic: draft meek insurance agent Bob Wilson (Ritter's main role) and have him trained by experienced agent Nick Pirandello (Belushi) in order to meet with the aliens.
Nick saves Bob from an attempted assassination by the Russians (who are also interested in the Big Gun). With his family relocated for their safety, Nick and the disbelieving Bob must drive across the country and get to Washington by Friday (a week's time) in order to meet with the aliens, overcoming a variety of hilarious obstacles on the way and learning more about themselves through each other.
