Tommy Boy: Holy Schnike Edition

A box-office hit in 1995, director Peter Segal's lame-brained lowbrow comedy has seen its reputation rise (if only a little) since the tragic death of comedian Chris Farley in 1997, one of the breakthrough stars of Saturday Night Live in the early ‘90s. Produced by SNL kingpin Lorne Michaels and written by the Wayne's World team of Bonnie and Terry Turner, Tommy Boy was Farley's big-screen debut as a top-billed star. Or, to be more accurate, costar: Farley is teamed here with his SNL colleague David Spade. Close friends off-screen, the pair were made for each other as comic foils whose easygoing chemistry made Tommy Boy a home-video bestseller, along with their 1996 follow-up, Black Sheep. Here, Farley and Spade play traveling salesmen Tommy and Richard, respectively. Tommy is desperately trying to save the family business after the sudden death of his father (Brian Dennehy), with Richard serving as his hapless sidekick, doubling the dimwit factor as they try to thwart the nefarious plotting of Tommy's would-be stepmother (Bo Derek) and her beefcake boy-toy (Rob Lowe). There's a nominal love interest for Tommy (Julie Warner), and Dan Aykroyd costars as Tommy's corporate competition, but it's the nascent comedy team of Farley and Spade who deliver what modest entertainment value Tommy Boy has to offer. Looking sharp on Blu-ray, this fully-loaded “Holy Schnike Edition” offers the same extras as the DVD released for the film's 10th anniversary in 2005, including audio commentary by director Segal, four featurettes (one a touching posthumous tribute to Farley), six deleted scenes, six alternate takes, 15 extended scenes, seven storyboard comparisons, 19 TV spots, a gag reel, and a photo gallery. A strong optional purchase. (J. Shannon)