Michael Keaton plays the title role, a young man in Prohibition-era NYC who turns to crime in order to pay his mothers' (Maureen Stapleton) frequent medical bills. He finds that he does indeed have the knack to make it in the world of organized crime. However, this puts him at odds with his younger brother (Griffin Dunne), who's grown up to be a crusading district attorney. Johnny romances sexy torch singer Lil Sheridan (Marilu Henner) and must put up with Danny Vermin (Joe Piscopo), an arch-rival since their childhood days.
"Johnny Dangerously" gets off to a good start with its Weird Al Yankovic theme song, and is generally good, agreeable, silly fun. It may never be truly inspired, but it made this viewer smile often enough to rate it as a decent comedy. There are some good gags here and there, with Keaton a hoot as he does his best Jimmy Cagney imitation. In fact, the cast is packed with familiar faces who are all fantastic; basically, they elevate so-so material: Peter Boyle as a mob boss, Glynnis O'Connor as Dunnes' fiancee, Richard Dimitri as English-language mangling mobster Moronie, Danny DeVito as the crooked D. A. whose job Dunne inherits, Sudie Bond as a cleaning lady, etc. The cameos are especially fun: Dom DeLuise, Ray Walston, Ron Carey, and a few others I won't spoil here. Piscopo is a hoot as Johnny's nemesis, who wants to run the mob his own way.
Director Amy Heckerling, hot off the success of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", gives this comedy fairly good energy, and it moves along well, generating some good vibes as it pokes fun at the gangster melodramas of the 1930s and 40s. There are some truly priceless jokes towards the end during Johnny's prison escape sequence.
Six out of 10.
"Johnny Dangerously" gets off to a good start with its Weird Al Yankovic theme song, and is generally good, agreeable, silly fun. It may never be truly inspired, but it made this viewer smile often enough to rate it as a decent comedy. There are some good gags here and there, with Keaton a hoot as he does his best Jimmy Cagney imitation. In fact, the cast is packed with familiar faces who are all fantastic; basically, they elevate so-so material: Peter Boyle as a mob boss, Glynnis O'Connor as Dunnes' fiancee, Richard Dimitri as English-language mangling mobster Moronie, Danny DeVito as the crooked D. A. whose job Dunne inherits, Sudie Bond as a cleaning lady, etc. The cameos are especially fun: Dom DeLuise, Ray Walston, Ron Carey, and a few others I won't spoil here. Piscopo is a hoot as Johnny's nemesis, who wants to run the mob his own way.
Director Amy Heckerling, hot off the success of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", gives this comedy fairly good energy, and it moves along well, generating some good vibes as it pokes fun at the gangster melodramas of the 1930s and 40s. There are some truly priceless jokes towards the end during Johnny's prison escape sequence.
Six out of 10.