This film hasn't aged well for a variety of reasons. The movie was completed in 1984, but didn't get a release date until 1986. The script wasn't too bad as it was written by the always reliable Robert Kaufman, who gave us Freebie and the Bean and Love at First Bite. Brian Dennehy and Anne Archer are, however, horribly miscast in the roles as the couple who decide to live off the grid, turn their backyard into a farm, shut off all the electricity and eventually losing everything in the process.
What hurts the film greatly is how the movie had to be later re-shot by adding Dick Shawn and Nita Talbot as the wacky next-door neighbors, which is more forced than funny. The original cut itself actually flows a lot better without these added bits, which are totally unnecessary and ruin the unique tone of this movie.
What hurts the film greatly is how the movie had to be later re-shot by adding Dick Shawn and Nita Talbot as the wacky next-door neighbors, which is more forced than funny. The original cut itself actually flows a lot better without these added bits, which are totally unnecessary and ruin the unique tone of this movie.