Lunatics: A Love Story (1991) User Reviews

A Quirky entry but contagiously funny and better by comparison to any of Woody Allen's film

[Ed-Shullivan · 7/10 · 14 December 2021]

What a hoot! Sort of like watching a boring golf tournament on the first tee at Florida's TPC Sawgrass and then suddenly a herd of alligators come out of nowhere and you laugh your a$$ off as everyone in the tournament tramples over each other running away from the snapping alligator jaws.

Lunatics starts off weirdly (and that is usually what dark comedies do) with the two main characters Hank (Ted Raimi) and Nancy (Deborah Foreman) showing us that they are two losers with a capital "L" and just by chance the desperate Nancy picks up a ringing pay phone on a street corner only to hear Ted's desperate voice reaching out for a girl, "any girl" to come over to his place.

Much like a Woody Allen's romantic comedies, these two main characters Hank and Nancy get to know each other under very strange circumstances rather quickly and I am surprised that this 1991 film didn't end up being a trilogy of films as their characters and their acting were top notch.

Yes it is a dark comedy. And yes it is a really quirky story. But yet the film kept me entertained throughout and it ended so quickly that I wanted more of Hank and Nancy. I tried purchasing this film but it is not available in North America but I will put this film on my wish list and hope it is released in Blu Ray format soon.

I give it a funny and respectable 7 out of 10 IMDB rating.

Hollywood B

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 26 June 2021]

In L. A., agoraphobic Hank Stone (Ted Raimi) has not left his apartment since moving in six months ago. He has disturbing delusions about brain spiders, a mad doctor, bad rappers, and other stuff. Nancy (Deborah Foreman) thinks that she's cursed. She gets dumped by her cruel boyfriend Ray (Bruce Campbell) and loses her hotel room. She gets chased by a gang of street thugs. A random phone call brings the two loners together.

It takes almost forty minutes to bring the two leads together. It takes too long to get going. Quite frankly, I wonder if this would be better as her story over a crazy night. He could be a part of her crazy night. 80's star Deborah Foreman faded out as she advanced into her 30's. It's an old Hollywood story. This low budget B-movie is reason enough for her to start thinking about retiring. It's not that good. Hank's surreal delusions aren't compelling or funny enough. I keep thinking about the rappers. Only weak comedies think that those guys are funny. The movie seems more interested in its b-level special effects. It needs better humor or better romantic chemistry. It needs something better.

Raimi, Raimi and Campbell, what more you need?

[Animus · 7/10 · 26 April 1999]

The epitome of a Sam Raimi film, this movie is not for everyone. If you don't like Raimi's film making, stay away, but if you do you're in for a treat. Ted Raimi does a fine job as a quasi-sane recluse who just wants to be loved, but still has some psychological issues to work out.

A Mixed Reaction

[aimless-46 · 15 March 2009]

"Xena" star Ted Raimi (Sam's brother) plays Hank Stone, a formerly institutionalized mental case who (when off his medication) suffers from rather nasty hallucinations and has a phobia that he will be attacked if he ventures outside his apartment. Sort of "Repulsion" (1966) meets "The Secret Lives of Dentists" (2002). It is titled a romance and is inaccurately billed as a comedy.

When he is not dealing with the imaginary spiders creeping around it his brain, the rappers that appear when he plays music, the "hot" billboard girl who seduces him, and the mad doctors prodding him with needles; Hank finds the time to feel lonely and impulsively invites an unseen girl he has dialed on the phone to come up and see him sometime.

The girl turns out to be Nancy, a neurotic but squeaky-clean damsel in distress (she has p....d off a local street gang). Hank is extremely pleased when Nancy arrives (not surprising as she is played by Deborah Foreman-arguably the most beautiful of all the young Hollywood actresses of the 1980's). This was one of Foreman's last films, she wasn't getting quality stuff and had begun to fade a tiny bit physically; director Josh Becker unnecessarily compensates for this by limiting her extreme close-ups.

Hank and Nancy discover they share both an interest in poetry and a tendency to lash out violently at each other during moments of mental disturbance. But Hank's love for Nancy will inspire him to face his demons and venture into the world to save her.

Josh Becker wrote and directed the film, not Sam Raimi of "Evil Dead" fame. Raimi produced the film and Becker was one of his close associates, which may account for the confusion.

The low budget special effects are actually an asset as they give a unity to the expressionistic feel of the film; as does the wonky jazz score.

While some viewers really connect with this film, mainstream viewers will be either bored or irritated. Bored because this is a minimalist movie in which what little happens does so in an unconvincing manner and without a build-up of suspense or real tension.

Irritating because the story is structured wrong. It is supposed to be a romance yet the characters do not meet until minute 42 of the 87 minutes running length. They are only together on the screen for about 20% of the film. This also means that the story be told from two separate points of view, which distances the viewer and makes it necessary to expend a lot of energy achieving a strong identification with either character.

Nonetheless, there is a lot of originality here and the overall the viewing experience is a pleasant one.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Two Crazy Kids Falling In Love

[boblipton · 6/10 · 27 June 2021]

Deborah Foreman has been dumped on the street by her boyfriend; she's a jinx. As she is about to be assaulted by a street gang, the telephone rings, and it's Ted Raimi, trying to call a help line; he hasn't left his apartment for six months because of his natural fear of giant spiders, extra-terrestrials, mad doctors, and of course, rappers. He invites her over, but the street gag is blocking her, so he puts on his superhero costume and sallies forth.

Josh Becker's movie is quite a clever little romantic comedy, that satirizes.... well, to be honest, I'm not sure what. Is Miss Foreman a jinx? Is Raimi insane? Apart from his delusions, I mean, and do their delusions include love at first sight? And just because you think the mad doctors are out there -- and the film maker cooperates by showing them to the audience -- what's a crippling insanity? It's a question that afflicts us currently, not just personally, but politically.

In any case, the performances are good, the camera work watchable, and I had a good time.

Worth the search?

[bloatimes · 4/10 · 27 November 2005]

Well, if this movie is the "epitome of Sam Raimi films", it's some kind of weird coincidence, because this is not a Sam Raimi film.

Moving on, this movie is probably really only worth watching if you're a hardcore fan of someone who's in it. I saw it for Bruce Campbell. Frankly, there aren't really any redeeming qualities. The actors all do decent jobs with what they're given, but the movie just feels really dull and empty, like it doesn't really warrant a whole movie. It also reeks pretty badly of the early '90s, which is either a reason to watch or avoid, depending on who you are. At any rate, unless your local rental store is pretty amazing, you'll probably be hard-pressed to find this movie save by spending upwards of 70 dollars to buy it online. It's definitely not worth the 70 dollars. Bruce Campbell doesn't really even get to do anything particularly Bruce Campbell-ish. No snappy one-liners or anything.

Anyway, if by any chance your girlfriend buys you this movie for your birthday, you might as well watch it since it came your way. Also watch out for the whole differing religions thing, it might be a problem in another three months.

A great romantic comedy

[ab-2 · 10/10 · 19 January 2002]

Lunatics: A Love Story is simply a great romantic comedy. Ted Raimi is funny as his role as a psychopathic man who thinks about spiders eating his brains, suicide, sadistic doctors, and rappers. Another thing that made this movie simply the best was Bruce Campbell. He can make a movie ten times much better.

10/10

Great Film.

[Peggy-7 · 10/10 · 17 February 1999]

This just has to be one of the funniest films ever, and nobody ever talks about it. I was lucky to have stayed up one night and had Showtime on, and this film was on. When I saw the Raimi family had something to do with this film, I knew I had better watch it, and I did. Now I own it and watch it all the time. This is a great film. On a scale of 1 to 10 this is a rare but well needed 10!

Josh Becker, genius

[longtom · 10/10 · 18 August 2005]

Lunatics is a great example of how you can tell a sensitive, funny, crazy story with two basic sets. You can have not the millions of Spielberg, but you can make a good movie with a good story.

The day every time in Hollywood come back from nonsense to senses, they realize that is a guy named Josh Becker, the director of this movie. Becker's films are really clever, funny, and change something in you. I am his fan from that night some years ago when I see "Lunatics" in TV.

Then I did think he was some Sam Raimi sidekick, but NO. Becker is the original thing, he's real real, and love the cinema how nobody more in the world. If you is a wannabe of filmmaker go to his site and read his manifesto, "Dogma 2006". He's our great hope for better movies. Becker's better.

Crazy movie!

[oh_riginal · 10/10 · 7 March 2006]

I wish this movie were on DVD! Sam Raimi, the director of Spider-Man 1 and 2, and more importantly, Evil Dead 1 and 2, and Army of Darkness (Evil Dead 3) has a little-known brother named Ted Raimi, and he is the main character in this movie. He is hilarious! You can see Sam Raimi's humor in his brother, but instead of showing it in directing, he shows it in his acting. This movie is insanely funny, though it may not be for everyone. I've seen this movie several times only by being in the right place at the right time. It pops up on cable channels now and then. I've wanted to buy this movie even before the rise of DVD's, but could never find a video copy of it. Now that DVD's are mainstream and VHS is dead, I still can't find it anywhere!!! It's frustrating that this little-hardly-known gem is still buried. Even if the DVD were a bargain bin release for $5 at Walmart, with no extras whatsoever, I'd still get it simply out of nostalgia. It's been over 10 years since I've seen it last. Loved it.

Some good FD up comedy story with a lot of good humor

[zizin · 10/10 · 23 September 2018]

It is for everyone,if they want this beautiful gem it is on YouTube right now.

Go see it on youtube you won't be disappointed.

"Alright You Quacks, Let's Do It!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 17 January 2023]

LUNATICS: A LOVE STORY stars Ted Raimi as Hank, a man who is a veritable prisoner in his tiny apartment. Hank is a bit... unstable. His entire life is pretty much one big hallucinatory nightmare. Hank also writes poetry.

Enter Nancy (Deborah Foreman), a young woman who believes her life is cursed. She just might be right. Nancy's also handy with a gun. Oh, and she writes poetry too.

Will these two kids be drawn together by the hand -or foot- of destiny? You betcha!

If you're tired of cookie-cutter, melodramatic love stories, then you should get a kick out of this insane rendition thereof. It's utterly bonkers, and yet it has a romantic heart -and liver- that can't be denied.

Both Mr. Raimi and Ms. Foreman are hilariously deranged. Bruce Campbell is along for the ride as Nancy's jerkweed boyfriend, as well as a mad brain surgeon, annnd Edgar Alan Poe on a book cover!

Watch this right now, but don't forget the aluminum foil...

A really psychological and romantic movie!

[Irishchatter · 8/10 · 27 February 2016]

I have never seen a really good film that has given me a headache before. Now I would get a headache if it was a really annoying movie, though I wouldn't even consider calling this one, even! I think it was the fact of worry, like seeing the lead character Hank going through amounts of severely negative thoughts coming through his head. It makes you feel really sorry for him, especially being stuck at his home 24/7 and not having any friends to talk to. This film does really tell you of how mental illness does affect an individual's life and I have to say, I'm proud that this movie wasn't just a romantic story!

Of course you wouldn't forget Bruce Campbell! You would really be p*ssed off with him in this film. He played such characters like the ex boyfriend and the evil doctor of who you would just despise and not have anything to do with. He was good though lol!

It's a really good movie and a rather different one, that's what I like! I'm giving this a 8/10!