In the later 1960s, two hippies are forced to leave their friends as they are wanted by the FBI, who sees them as criminals. They hide in the jungle for 20 years, secluded from the outside world. In the later 1980s, the find out that a secret war is about to start in the US, and decide to return to New York to tell someone about it.
Reviews
You won't be disappointed!
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
"Rude awakening" is a creative "fish out of water" scenario, including a talking, pot smoking fish. Eric Roberts and Cheech Marin escape to a South American utopia, avoiding the Vietnam War, but returning twenty years later to help stop another war. Problem is the "Hippie Movement" has moved on to materialistic endeavors. Thus the stage is set for Roberts and Marin trying to adjust to their friends cop out lives. The supporting cast here is excellent, with Julie Hagerty, Louise Lasser, and especially Buck Henry and Cindy Williams as the "Stools". Disillusioned by the apparent lack of interest for their "save the world" cause, Roberts and Marin refuse to give up, and eventually succeed. The movie is a great nostalgia trip for the right audience. - MERK
This appeared at a convenient point in time for pop culture self-examination through the movies; the narrative intent is that we can review the 1980s through the lens of 1960s thinking.It starts off with a 'reprogramming' of a dropout via LSD and movie indoctrination. This could have been something clever...instead it deteriorates by hallucinating through "Up In Smoke" and Leone westerns.The 'ideal world' is depicted as "Woodstock", with the main characters stolen out of "Easy Rider". They take an excursion through "Salvador" and "The Mosquito Coast". The whole thing, production-wise, staggers about in a manner as clumsy as "Where the Buffalo Roam" and "Animal House". It resolves through "Deer Hunter", "Stripes" and the Beatles' 'Revolution'.The point of all this is to tear down the detached, colorless, sexless, 'boozh-wa' 1980s and reindoctrinate the audience to 'the truth' with the 'romantic' drug of the movie. An audience is assembled in the movie to first provoke (in us)the intended feeling of 'guilt', and the second time to sublimate into 'activism'. As I wrote earlier, it's just not clever. The problem is, it doesn't know how to target the comedic center. Everything ends up as a target, including Roberts because he doesn't know how to play this in a smart way -- there's no winking at the viewer. The producers thought this was 'affirming', oblivious to the joke on themselves.
Good film, the fish parts are great, The scenes with the Stools are great especially Mrs. Stool & Jesus, Terminally fun, Jesus goes through life completly stoned, while Fred struggles with coming down and finding the 60's have turned into the 80's and money talks, enviromental disasters are rife, and that not everyone is please to see him. Petra is a walking complex time bomb, wanting to be loved although running away, shes always trying to FIND herself to no avail while Sammy (ex 60's geek) makes some money which turns into more and a spoiled must have wife,hippy son and a am I good enough complex.Great film which brings back together 4 friends after the 60's with serious, funny, tragic and soul searching consequences.Watch out for the fish.
Very funny and very sad in the truths questioned. Eric Roberts is a doll. Cheech Marin is hysterical and my favorite, Mrs. Stool. She had me in tears. Why haven't we seen more of this actress? It's a good, fun time that throws out food for thought.
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