Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

What begins as a feel-good-human-interest story turns into a mystery, then a tragedy, and ultimately an outrage.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Andy and Elizabeth Farmer (see what they did?) buy a farm in Vermont, but they can't imagine what awaits them. Andy has quit his job as a sports journalist and is planning to use the peace and quiet of the to write his Novel. But there's little peace and even less quiet. From a troubled mailman to a dead body buried in the garden, Andy is distracted by the town and its eccentric inhabitants. His effort at a novel are mundane, and he's threatened by Elizabeth's foray into writing when she attempts a children's book......Chase was quite a big draw in the early eighties, but after The Three Amigos, his output began to coast, and the quality of his films got weaker and weaker.This in particular is one of his lowest points. It's your atypical fish out of water comedy, Culturally offensive, because obviously, the rich kids from the City are far more intelligent than everyone else in this film.Until they bond withe the townsfolk and realise that we are all equals.'Hilarity' in this film includes Chase throwing hot coffee over a bird, and him eating sheep testicles, oh how my sides split.So the film follows Chase getting increasingly vexed, until he has his token breakdown, and he does that tired schtick where he says something sarcastically, and then probably falls over.The last good films Chase made were Xmas Vacation, and Nothing But Trouble (It's just too oddball to be bad), but having the word Funny in the title, is wholly ironic.Would make a really mundane double bill with the same years Richard Pryor 'Comedy', 'Moving'...

The film wonderfully skews the convention of the innocent country rubes moving to the big city and being overwhelmed by its meanness and craziness. Here, it's the cityfolk who move wide-eyed to the country - and are amazed to find there a roll call of crazies, misanthropes, and just plain wierdos. Does this view of country life have any basis in reality? Probably not, but then the film isn't really trying to be a satire but instead a pure lunatic comic fantasy. And it gives us a rich array of supporting characters - from the town sheriff who hasn't yet passed his driving test and so must ride around in cabs, to the owner of an antiques store whose merchandise are all personal. All these characters are priceless, and the film just keeps coming up with more and more of them - until it has created this pleasantly bizarre and warped Otherworld, of a kind that only comedy can truly provide.Best of all is the way in which Chase and Smith react to all of this and try to make some sense of it. I very clearly say "Chase and Smith" because the film belongs equally to both of them. It had to be billed as a Chevy Chase Comedy, of course, since he's the big star here, but this is no star trip; from the very first, the wife is made an equal partner in the trials and the laughs, and it's the way the two go through their new life together that provides much of the comedy. It also helps take the edge off of the usual Chevy Chase persona: in Funny Farm he's neither glib and disinterested (as in the Fletch movies) nor over the top silly (like in the Vacation movies). He comes across instead like a normal, personable guy who just finds himself caught in insane circumstances.Finally, the climactic sequence of the film is absolutely priceless - one of the most brilliantly sustained comic set-pieces you'll see in any movie, of any era. Funny Farm is the type of movie which gives you a great time and leaves you with a big, dopey grin on your face after it's all over. Trust me, even if you don't normally like Chevy Chase, you'll love Funny Farm.

My Favorite Quotes: (Please pardon some quotes are not exact, I cant remember the exact words)Movers: That bridge (It like covered in termites) Black Man (Mover): I wouldn't go over that on a skateboard! White Guy (Mover): Have faith in the craftsmanship of our forefathers Black Man (Mover): Your Forefathers, NOT MY FOREFATHERS! White Guy (Mover): Were Going over it! Black Man (Mover): Oh Lord!Mailman arrives ...Andy Farmer: Those must be the movers Elizabeth Farmer : Perfect Timing Andy Farmer: (Stands In Front of the Manic Mailman trying to run Andy Over) Andy Farmer: Wo the h** was that? Who was that maniac? Elizabeth Farmer : This is mail Andy, that MANIAC was our mailman!The Movers ask for directions the 2nd time... Black Man (Mover): Excuse me, can we have some assistance please? Man: Glad to help Black Man(Mover): Were looking for the town of Redbud Man: Well , if your going to RedBud you sure wouldn't want to start from here. Black Man (Mover): Supossing you have to.After long set of directions.. Man: Or, you can go to the bridge to save yourself sometime. Man: I wouldn't go there If I were you.

Funny Farm has some pretty funny moments with the movers, the crazy mailman, a sheriff that rides in a taxi, yellow dog, the Redbud village people and then there is the beautiful Madolyn Smith... the ambiance of the movie really sets it in the location and makes you believe they are really in that crazy small little town... similar to other fish out of water stories (Green Acres, Mr Blanding Builds His Dream House, etc.) but with the Chevy touch!Then to have it all turn around and the reason they moved out turns out to work for her rather than his... great story!!Chevy at his best... see Funny Farm for all it's intricate little funny story lines that cumulate with Chevy and Madolyn both getting what they want in the end. Redbud is reminiscent of a small town in NC I used to spend my summers while growing up (maybe not that crazy, but it had it's moments)