Fantastic!

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

An effective star trio remains the principal attraction for the duration of this likable if unspectacular black comedy. John Lithgow stars as a wimpy butcher who discovers his business partner (Bruce McGill) has frozen to death inside their walk in freezer. See, the partner's frustrated wife (Teri Garr) had grown tired of the guy (he treats her like garbage, including cheating on her) and when she found him in there, seized her opportunity to get rid of him, and locked him in there. Now the guilt plagued Lithgow reluctantly helps her in her series of cover-ups as the private detective (Randy Quaid) whom she originally hired to dig up dirt on the husband is getting too close to finding out what's going on. It's a shame with such a good cast that there aren't more comedy fireworks here. There are certainly funny moments but none that stick out or are particularly memorable. It *is* funny seeing an ice cream bar stuck to the frozen McGill's head, in any event. Lithgow is terrific as always, and Garr is a delight as the inexperienced schemer. Quaid is a hoot in one of his more straight laced performances, and the supporting cast features a number of familiar actors such as Lisa Blount, Alan Blumenfeld, Frederick Coffin, Marvin J. McIntyre, Larry Miller, Morgan Paull, and Barbara Rhoades. The farcical sequences with the dead body are a highlight (especially when it's propped up in the wilderness to make the death look like an accident). Granted, "Out Cold" doesn't reach the lunatic heights of the same year's "Weekend at Bernie's", but it still works pretty well in this regard. And when Lithgow and Garr are trying to dispose of a car and its radio comes on, blaring some obnoxious rock song, it's a scene both funny and tense, because one figures somebody *had* to have heard the music. Overall, "Out Cold" is a decent little comedy, and could stand to be better known. Six out of 10.

Low-budget dark comedy that goes in all directions yet does an early fade. Ex-Army buddies-turned-butcher shop partners argue over family business and one of them ends up dead; the first butcher mistakenly thinks he himself is the murderer...until his partner's widow starts acting suspiciously. Barely-released picture with a terrific cast does show spirit and promise; it has a quirky edge that is sometimes playful and sometimes prickly, but unfortunately nobody seems able to keep this movie on track, and the plot bursts like a balloon leaving nothing but dead space in the final third. The performers are very good, particularly John Lithgow and Bruce McGill, but the players, the direction and the script are not in synch. ** from ****

I agree that this movie is underrated. The cast is perfect for the material, and it has a clever story with lots of surprises along the way. My only complaint is that it's too short, and that it could have maybe gone a little further with the dark humor. It seems to hold back and play it safe a lot of the time. Other than that it's a great movie!

Strangely panned by many critics yet this is actually a funny, black comedy about small-time accidents, coincidences, misunderstandings, failed scheming and murder amongst friends and spouses that has a lot more wit than the overrated Blood Simple. The plot is tight, the humor is delightfully droll and the next-door type characters are well-drawn and fun to watch despite their nastiness, simply because of the blackly amusing circumstances they find themselves in.This did not deserve to become so obscure. Re-issue it on DVD please.