After his girlfriend Beth Truss ditches him for boorish ski jock Roy Stalin, sad sack high school student Lane Meyer decides that suicide is the only answer. But his inept attempts bring him... Read allAfter his girlfriend Beth Truss ditches him for boorish ski jock Roy Stalin, sad sack high school student Lane Meyer decides that suicide is the only answer. But his inept attempts bring him nothing but agony and embarrassment.After his girlfriend Beth Truss ditches him for boorish ski jock Roy Stalin, sad sack high school student Lane Meyer decides that suicide is the only answer. But his inept attempts bring him nothing but agony and embarrassment.
- Ricky Smith
- (as Daniel Schneider)
- Roy's Ski Buddy #2
- (as J. Warren Davis)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Savage Steve Holland, the film is mostly autobiographical. Holland was suicidal when his high school girlfriend left him for captain of the ski team. A paperboy named Johnny Gasparini would harass him for two dollars. According to Holland, the ex-girlfriend contacted him to apologize when the film came out.
- GoofsAt the final race, the race official signals Lane to go first. The official then sends Roy 5 seconds later, thus suggesting that the race is based on time. Lane beats Roy by only a fraction of a second. Therefore, Roy had the better time and should have won the race.
- Quotes
[Lane waves to two tree trimmers from the cargo hold of a garbage truck]
Tree Trimmer: [33:27] Now that's a real shame when folks be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that.
- Crazy creditsThe last line of the credits reads The film's over... you can go now.
- Alternate versionsNetwork TV/HBO versions include two additional shots at the end of the film, one being a wide angle shot of the baseball stadium, and the other being a close up shot of Monique and Lane kissing together. Because of the deletion of these shots, the music and sound effects on the current video release are not synchronized with the picture.
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Better Off Dead/The Journey of Natty Gann/Commando (1985)
- SoundtracksBreakin' Up Is Hard To Do
Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
Performed by Neil Sedaka
Courtesy of RCA Records
As an artist myself I LOVED the little cutaway animated bits, and had to appreciate it knowing that was uncommon for the time, and, in my opinion, is too creative to still be so underused now.
On the other hand, I can understand why people don't appreciate the way teen suicide is shown, having lost a few friends to it myself, but it's interesting how it's almost come back to mock us now in a way with how lightly and jokingly I see people tossing around the idea of killing themselves at the smallest and silliest things - like a crush dumping them.
Overall, I know this movie isn't for everyone, being a sort of cult classic as it is, but it is one of the few movies that has brought me and my dad a bit closer recently, so I'll always appreciate it. Better Off Dead will always hold a special place in my heart. :)
- laneycat
- Dec 19, 2023
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $10,297,601
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $56,371
- Aug 25, 1985
- Gross worldwide
- $10,297,601