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Better Off Dead... Poster

Better Off Dead...

Insanity doesn't run in the family, it gallops.
1985 | 97m | English

(52670 votes)

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Popularity: 5 (history)

Details

High school student Lane Meyer sinks into suicidal depression when his girlfriend dumps him for jock Roy Stalin, the high school ski racing champion. Meanwhile, he has to deal with his eccentric family, a tenacious paperboy and an obnoxious neighbor whose mother is hosting a beautiful French exchange student named Monique.
Release Date: Aug 23, 1985
Director: Savage Steve Holland
Writer: Savage Steve Holland
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Keywords duck, nerd, paperboy, suicidal, teen comedy, snow skiing, aftercreditsstinger, duringcreditsstinger, skiing, hilarious, admiring, familiar
Production Companies A&M Films, CBS Theatrical Films
Box Office Revenue: $10,297,601
Budget: $0
Updates Updated: Aug 07, 2025
Entered: Apr 13, 2024
Trailers and Extras

International Posters

Full Credits

Name Character
John Cusack Lane Meyer
Amanda Wyss Beth Truss
Diane Franklin Monique Junot
Aaron Dozier Roy Stalin
Curtis Armstrong Charles De Mar
David Ogden Stiers Al Meyer
Kim Darby Jenny Meyer
Demian Slade Johnny Gasparini
Laura Waterbury Mrs. Smith
Dan Schneider Ricky Smith
Yuji Okumoto Yee Sook Ree
Brian Imada Chen Ree
Scooter Stevens Badger Meyer
Chuck Mitchell Rocko
Frank Burt Avalon Roy's Ski Buddy #1
Vincent Schiavelli Mr. Kerber
Taylor Negron Mailman
E. G. Daily Elizabeth Daily
Joe W. Davis Roy's Ski Buddy #2 (as J. Warren David)
Peter Ellenstein Roy's Ski Buddy #3
Edward Mehler Buster
Thomas Rollerson Roller Skater
Toby Iland Nerd #1
Jonathan Charles Fox Nerd #2 (as Jonathon Charles Fox)
Darren Harris Nerd #3
Randy Stoklos Jock #1
Sam High Jock #2
David Vaughn Jock #3
Tina Littlewood Chris Cummins
Steven Williams Tree Trimmer
Stuart K. Robinson Tree Trimmer's Helper
Rima Lyn Joanne Greenwald (as Rima Delane)
Yano Anaya Paperboy
Joey Tushnet Paperboy
Sebastian Dungan Paperboy
Rick Rosenthal Smity
Name Job
Savage Steve Holland Writer, Director
Alan Balsam Editor
Maria Lease Script Supervisor
Fred Lerner Second Unit Director, Stunt Coordinator
Yudi Bennett First Assistant Director
Faith Minton Stunts
Sandy Berumen Stunts
George Fisher Stunts
Bill Hart Stunts
Johnny Hock Stunts
Tom Morga Stunts
A. Michael Lerner Stunts
Harvey Parry Stunts
Sharon Schaffer Stunts
Dick Warlock Stunts
Neil Summers Stunts
Rupert Hine Original Music Composer
Herman F. Zimmerman Production Design
Brad R. Loman Costume Design
Georgina Williams Hairstylist
Gary Moreno Set Decoration
Caro Jones Casting
James R. Scribner Makeup Artist
David Anderle Music Supervisor
Art Lipschultz Property Master
Jann Dutmer Second Assistant Director
Shelley Kirkwood Unit Publicist
Rick Neff Camera Operator
Malcolm Brown First Assistant Camera
Frederick Hamm Second Assistant Camera
Ted Roberts Music Editor
Bud Alper Sound Mixer
Gene Ashbrook Boom Operator
Jack Clements Unit Production Manager
Jake Jarrell Gaffer
Frank M. Holgate Second Unit Director of Photography
David Roester Costumer
Bud Peifer Jr. Assistant Property Master
Tom Kessenich Key Grip
Jim Dunford Dolly Grip
Jan Gould Grip
Huw Davies Location Manager
David Jernigan Transportation Coordinator
Nancy Forner Associate Editor
William Hooper Supervising Sound Editor
Dick Vandenberg Sound Effects Editor
Don MacDougall Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Richard Tyler Sound Re-Recording Mixer
John L. Mack Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Frank Beddor Stunts
Jeff Jensen Stunts
Greg Wayne Elam Stunts
Jean Coulter Stunts
Keith Harvey Stunts
Hank Calia Stunts
Kent Hays Stunts
Wayne King Stunts
Bill McIntosh Stunts
Wally Rose Stunts
Cha Cha Sandoval-McMahon Stunts
Debbie Lynn Ross Stunts
Rick Seaman Stunts
Peter Stader Stunts
Mark Yerkes Stunts
Jim Dunn Stunt Double
Roy L. Downey Special Effects
Chere Rae Stunts
Isidore Mankofsky Director of Photography
Bruce Paul Barbour Stunts
Drew Struzan Art Designer
Name Title
Michael Jaffe Producer
Gil Friesen Executive Producer
Andrew Meyer Executive Producer
William Strom Associate Producer
Organization Category Person
Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 4 28 52 16
2024 5 53 62 43
2024 6 33 58 13
2024 7 24 42 15
2024 8 15 27 9
2024 9 18 29 11
2024 10 13 22 8
2024 11 14 23 9
2024 12 14 19 10
2025 1 13 23 10
2025 2 10 15 3
2025 3 5 13 1
2025 4 1 2 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 1 2 1
2025 8 2 3 1
2025 9 3 4 2
2025 10 4 5 2

Trending Position


Year Month High Avg
2025 10 908 908
Year Month High Avg
2025 9 173 667
Year Month High Avg
2025 8 172 540
Year Month High Avg
2025 7 503 838
Year Month High Avg
2024 11 597 718

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Reviews

FilipeManuelNeto
3.0

**A stupid teen comedy, but still funny enough.** Teenage films are not exactly my “cup of tea”, but I confess that this little comic film pleased me: after being abandoned by his girlfriend who, deep down, didn't like him and was just trying to be the girlfriend of the most popular boy in the ne ... ighborhood, a young man decides to die. After some half-hearted and half-hearted attempts, he ends up turning the situation around in a surprising way. It's a film that has the advantage of being funny, although it's still as stupid as any other teen film. They treat that snowy hill as if it were a Himalayan peak – they even gave it a name alluding to a real mountain in this range – and good skiing seems to be an obsession for the locals. It's the most absurd thing in the film, at least for me. We also have a bizarre and disgusting family that lives close to the protagonist and that I wouldn't want near my house: besides looking like a beautiful group of idiots, I don't know if those people take baths. There are still some additional oddities, but I won't say much about them... it's better to see. John Cusack did a good job. Still a teenager, the actor was already showing signs of having talent and knew how to take advantage of opportunities to grow in the artistic world, and here he makes a committed and competent effort. The rest of the cast is much weaker, largely due to characters who are essentially clichés with legs. Diane Franklin escapes thanks to a better character, and competent work from the actress.

Oct 28, 2023