Films That Time Forgot

Disorderlies (1987)

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Reviewed by Nathan Rabin
September 7th, 2005

Tagline: "Lapping up luxury and rapping up a storm."

Plot: When Hitler-mustache enthusiast Anthony Geary needs money to pay off his gambling debts, he sets about hastening the demise of his elderly uncle Ralph Bellamy by hiring, as his comically inept new caretakers, the obesity-themed hip-hop trio the Fat Boys. The job gets off to a rough start, but after a trip to a roller-skating ring and the impromptu grinding of an open-minded young woman against Bellamy's crotch leads to an unexpected erection and a new lease on life, Bellamy begins to see the Boys in a new, more charitable light. Soon, he's awkwardly integrating hip-hop lingo into his conversations, telling Geary to "Step off, homeboy" and admonishing the Fat Boys to "stop illin'." Horrified by Bellamy's progress, Geary resorts to robbing Bellamy's safe and framing the Fat Boys.

Key scenes: In the opening sequence, the Fat Boys engage in some X-treme, in-your-face nursing-home shenanigans, racing wheelchairs through the hallways, leading seniors through simple dance moves, and otherwise engaging in the kind of irreverent wackiness for which homes for the aged are famous. An early scene establishes overeating as a comic motif when the boys ecstatically demolish a chocolate cake with their bare hands. When confronted with Bellamy's wrinkled visage for the first time, one of the Boys points out that he looks "like Yoda." Later mishaps involving a pulley system for Bellamy lead to the venerable character actor, the Boys, and many wealthy people tumbling fully clothed into a pool.

Can easily be distinguished by: The novel teaming of a Hollywood golden-age legend and a briefly popular rap novelty act, as well as its preponderance of zany sound effects and fat jokes.

Sign that it was made in 1987: The furry Kangol and rhinestone-studded-glasses look and coonskin cap/Hawaiian shirt combo rocked by the Boys would not prove timeless, nor would Art Of Noise's totally '80s score.

Timeless message: Sometimes the comically inept end up doing a better job than the seemingly more qualified.

Memorable quotes: After one of the Boys beats another to a plum seat in a chauffeur-driven luxury automobile, the sore loser snaps, "Your mother's a man, punk!"

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