Brian De Palma regrets making the hilarious 1986 comedy,Wise Guys, despite the film’s many redeeming qualities. The movie, which stars Danny DeVito and Joe Piscopo, follows Harry and Joe, two small-time mobsters who get in trouble with their boss after losing $250,000. The dark comedy, which was directed by the legendary Brian De Palma, played a huge role in why he decided to stop creating comediesbecause of its financial failure and negative reception.
De Palma, alongside Francis Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsesebelong to a group of directors from the ‘70s known as the “Movie Brats”. The legendary director earned his reputation as a master of thrillers and suspense with movies such asCarrie,Scarface, and thecult horror musicalPhantom of the Paradise. Throughout his career,De Palma has worked on dozens of movies, some more beloved than others.Wise Guysis one of the few times the director forayed into a different genre, and it unfortunately turned into a flop.
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The Studio Did Not Want To Make The Movie
According to an interview De Palma conducted withBusiness Insider,the filmmaker regrets makingWise Guys. While promoting the documentaryDe Palma, the director was asked if he regretted turning downFatal Attraction,Flashdance, andTaxi Driver. Although the movies became huge successes, De Palma was not sure if he regretted turning down those projects. He did, however, regret going through withWise Guys.
In the interview, De Palma explained that the studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, changed their minds and did not want to makeWise Guys. De Palma stated:
“Now a movie I wish I hadn’t done was Wise Guys. The studio changed their minds and didn’t want to make it. They just wanted us to go away. I should have just taken my money and walked instead of dealing with a studio that didn’t want to make the movie.”
The filmmaker did not reveal why the studio had changed their minddespite initially agreeing to make it. The director regretted not walking away from the project and instead had to deal with a studio that was not interested in making the comedy.
Wise Guys’ Reviews Were Divisive
De Palma took a huge risk when creating a comedy,particularly since his strengths lay in thrillers and horrors. So it is not surprising thatWise Guysearned the reputation of being one of De Palma’s worst movies. Despite the comedy being critically panned, audiences seemed to have enjoyed the movie’s wacky humor. The movie holds a middling 42% audience score onRotten Tomatoes –not indicative of a total flop.
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Despite the audience’s lukewarm response, critics seemed to dislikeWise Guysbecause of script issues and the fact that it relied on over-the-top performances from the cast to make it entertaining. However, the movie isn’t as bad as its reputation suggests. There are several great things aboutWise Guys. The chemistry between Joe and Harry adds to the humor of the gangster parody. The lightweight comedy and performances by the supporting cast make the movie a joy to watch. AlthoughWise Guysis considered one of De Palma’s worst movies,the filmmaker’s signature editing style works well in the comedy.
Wise Guys Could’ve Become A Cult Classic With The Right Backing
Wise Guys Was Distributed By Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Wise Guysfeatured elements that would have made it a cult classic:the movie was panned by critics but had a small, loyal fanbase, boasting iconic characters and memorable quotes. Despite all these elements,Wise Guysdid not become a cult classic. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the studio that distributedWise Guys, was not invested in the movie’s success, which affected how it was marketed. This meant that audiences were not aware of the film. Further, the movie was created by De Palma, a director who is mostly known for his work in thrillers, and not comedies.
It is understandable why Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer was not keen to produce the movie, especially because De Palma’s previous comedies,Hi, Mom!andGet To Know Your Rabbit, had mixed reviews. Perhaps Wise Guys could have become a cult classic if it was backed by a studio that believed in De Palma’s vision. It is also possible thatWise Guyscould have become a cult classic if a different director who was well-versed in the comedy genre was at the helm of the movie instead of De Palma.
Wise Guys
Cast
Wise Guys is a comedy film directed by Brian De Palma, featuring Joe Piscopo and Danny DeVito as Harry and Moe, two low-level mobsters who inadvertently find themselves in trouble with their boss. Set in New Jersey, the plot chronicles their misadventures as they attempt to flee from their superiors and navigate a series of chaotic and humorous situations.
