8 Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997)

The most shocking thing about 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag -- whose premise is all right there in the title -- is that it was greenlighted in the first place. Second most shocking is that it's actually sort of fun. Playing an exhausted version of his familiar mobster sociopath, Joe Pesci seems almost bored by his obligation of tracking down his gruesome quarry. What might seem like lazy acting instead feels like a conscious choice on Pesci's part, which informs the rest of the cast in keeping the tone more lighthearted than the subject matter would suggest. Key assistance comes from newcomer Andy Comeau, who channels a young Daniel Stern as the panicky and confused boyfriend, and David Spade, who proves how effective he can be in a supporting role. Writer-director Tom Schulman has written some funny material about how Pesci's character searches for replacement heads, enlisting the unwitting help of Charlie's two fraternity brothers (played by Spade and an increasingly unhinged Todd Louiso), such that they're all eventually arguing whether one particular substitute is a "good Frank" or just a "so-so Frank." In the process, the heads themselves almost assume personalities. The portion involving Charlie's girlfriend's family in Mexico is a lot more broad, relying too much on the histrionics of Dyan Cannon as the girlfriend's mother, who boozes too much and then attacks Charlie with a fork. And a lot of the third-act plot mechanics leave a lot to be desired in the logic department. No one will mistake 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag for high art, but it's a surprisingly good-natured comedy that exceeds its bad reputation. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide