Finders Keepers (1984) User Reviews

Unfunny in the extreme

[cherold · 4/10 · 3 October 2019]

Richard Lester is one of the great comedy directors, but amidst the brilliance there was always this sloppy, cheap-feeling shlockiness peeking out from underneath, balanced out because it was still often funny.

Finders Keepers magnifies Lester's worst tendencies without the counterbalancing humor. Not only isn't the movie funny, but often I couldn't figure out why the movie expected us to find it funny. The movie seems to think Beverly D'Angelo calling everyone she meets by a slur for gay people funny, but even if you don't apply modern social norms to an ancient movie, it's just not funny.

I watched the first half hour, and then, since some people claim it gets better towards the end, I watched the last 20 minutes. It's basically a bad 80s comedy with forced silliness (an angry mob of roller derby women) and unconvincing sex (woman pulls a gun on the protagonist then takes a bath with him).

Richard Lester made a lot of terrific movies. This wasn't one of them.

Barely funny.

[gridoon · 5/10 · 22 June 2001]

A good-natured, agreeable, but featherweight and desperately unfunny comedy by Richard Lester. Beverly D'Angelo (sexy and spirited) and Louis Gossett Jr. (amusingly cool) try their best to enliven the film, but there are hardly any laughs and too many unnecessary subplots. (**)

Not an outstanding mid-1980s comedy...

[paul_haakonsen · 4/10 · 16 July 2022]

As I sat down to watch the 1984 comedy "Finders Keepers" here in 2022, I did so without ever having heard about the movie prior to sitting down for watching it. I had no idea what I was in for here, but I figured that a mid-1980s comedy with this cast ensemble should prove interesting.

However, I was off target, because I didn't enjoy the storyline told in "Finders Keepers". The narrative was pretty slow paced and I didn't really care about the story, nor overly much about the characters either. So I found "Finders Keepers" from writers Ronny Graham, Terence Marsh and Charles Dennis to be somewhat of a swing and a miss. Sure, there are worse mid-1980s comedies out there, but "Finders Keepers" wasn't something special.

I was initially impressed with the cast ensemble, which had the likes of Michael O'Keefe, Beverly D'Angelo, Louis Gossett Jr., Ed Lauter and Brian Dennehy on the cast list. So there was a good handful of familiar faces on the screen.

I didn't find the storyline amusing here, so this movie didn't make me laugh. And while I did manage to endure the movie to the end, this is not a movie that i will ever be returning to watch a second time.

My rating of "Finders Keepers" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Very old-style caperish farce, with nice tone, funny gags

[leapso · 12 September 2000]

Richard Lester is an American-born director who was a quiet architect of a certain type of English screen comedy, working on early TV experiments with members of radio's "Goon Show" (Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan), then the first couple of Beatles movies, then some movie stuff which parallelled the surreal comedy of the TV Monty Python, inc "The Bed-Sitting Room" (from a play co-written by Milligan) and "How I Won The War". This is a nice little film which has some of the gagsmanship of his old stuff, and kind of a "What's Up Doc" type plotline, with money from a heist, plenty of screwball characters, and general old-fashioned movie farce confusion. Doesn't probably get the momentum it wants to, but it's low-key affable loopyness is pretty watchable. As the Maltin review suggests, in a pretty decent little comedy cast, the David Wayne turn as the antique, shambolic train conductor is the real highlight, with laughs pretty much every time he turns up. In Lester's career, it's not a "Hard Day's Night", "Three Musketeers", "Cuba", or even "Juggernaut", but it's different and enjoyable enough on its own terms for comedy movie addicts to take a look.

Screwball comedy that is a total "train wreck" ........

[merklekranz · 2/10 · 13 January 2011]

Consider this cast, Michael O'Keefe, Beverly D'Angelo, David Wayne, Ed Lauter, Brian Dennehy, Lou Gossett, and Jim Carrey. You might reasonably expect a film that was at least watchable. Unfortunately that is far from the reality of this mistaken identities, supposed comedy. A few mild smiles relating to 'the worlds oldest train conductor' are about it. The rest gets weaker by the minute, leading to a chaotic ending that is far worse than the nonsense that precedes it. I cannot emphasize enough how badly the capable cast is wasted. Bizarre in a bad way, is the only description than applies to "Finders Keepers. About the only good thing about this total"train wreck" of a movie is that it actually has a train in it. - MERK

Jim Carrey eventually found fame and kept it; plus, I see a tiny link to current events.

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 3 January 2007]

In the grand scheme of things, "Finders Keepers" is one of those silly comedies that they cranked out in the '80s. This one has a scam artist (Michael O'Keefe, of "Caddyshack" fame) accidentally getting mixed up in a wacky larceny case on a train after he has to escape the cops and a roller skate team in 1973. You see, he thinks that a coffin on board the train holds a man killed in Cambodia, but it actually holds an exorbitant amount of money stolen by a woman believed to have been kidnapped. If that sounds overwhelming, just wait 'til you see what happens on the train! The point is, this movie makes no pretense about being completely goofy. Probably the main reason that anyone would notice it nowadays is the presence of a pre-fame Jim Carrey as...well, I might spoil a major part of the movie if I explain it. But one can see a slight hint of the roles that would later make him famous.

Speaking of the present day, there's a link in "FK": Watergate. Throughout much of the movie, we hear about Pres. Nixon (Nickerson?), the Watergate investigations, and how Spiro Agnew may not last in his position. Agnew was of course replaced by the recently deceased Gerald Ford. Personally, I believe that Ford doesn't deserve the praise that he's been getting (what really did he do besides fall down?).

But anyway, this is a pretty funny movie. You're sure to like it. Also starring Beverly D'Angelo, Louis Gossett Jr., Pamela Stephenson, Ed Lauter and Brian Dennehy.

Back when Richard Lester was directing The Beatles' movies, who ever would have guessed that he would direct this flick?

No wonder it's not listed in Jim Carrey's bio..😬😀

[angyalka1225 · 2/10 · 30 December 2020]

The actress is annoying even to look at, others aren't interesting either. Nor the story, if there's any. Love old movies, but this was unknown for a reason.. This is the first time when it was a relief to see my husband falling asleep instead of watching.😀 I had a collague who could laugh histerically on things like someone saying "the printer's dead", maybe she would find reason to at least smile on this one, but I prefer really funny and witty movies instead.

How I have never seen this movie before?

[drgreenthumb1001 · 6/10 · 28 November 2020]

This is the kind of 80s comedy in the same vein as many 80s farcical comedies. OKeefe plays his part like he did in Caddyshack, Beverly D'Angelos plays a very spunky, mouthy blonde, opposite of the mother character in all the Vacation movies, but she still cute and adorable. Louis Gossett Jr shows up halfway through the movie and is there to the end.

The story, set around 1972, isnt bad, it moves along and is never boring. There are some funny scenes and some funny dialogue. However the utterly farcical and slapstick type ending kinda ruins the movie, somehow we are supposed to believe Louis Gosset Jrs character doesnt know where the brake peddle is, but hey, its a comedy its needs a light hearted end to this "crime" story.

Ive been a mission to watch as many "bad" movies as I can, and found a site dedicated to forgotten movies, good or bad. This was one of them, but I didnt think it was bad at all. However, looking through all the reviews, people are fiercely divided, they seem to love it or hate it, and in the end, maybe their were more haters in the critics circle and by whomever distributed it. CBS owned (owns) it, so Im surprised I never caught this on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when TVs were still built with tubes.

I don't want to keep it.

[bombersflyup · 3/10 · 30 October 2023]

In Finders Keepers, scam artist Michael Rangeloff on the run from the police and a female roller derby team, steals a coffin and boards a train, pretending to be a soldier bringing home a dead war buddy.

The film has moments of amusement, for instance the roller derby team in the beginning, but is too all over the place, with too many characters and every scene with Beverly D'Angelo's just brutal. They're random con artists, there's random dialogue, with no solid foundation or proper cohesion, it just doesn't work for me. Has Ed Lauter of "The X-Files - Space" and Jim Carrey in a minor role. A pretty significant soundtrack included.

Somewhat Funny.

[SameirAli · 6/10 · 27 July 2021]

This film is somewhat funny, but, little lagging. The subject demands more slapstick comedy. I really wish if a Director like Priyadarshan had seen this film, there will be another great funny film in Malayalam.

Probably the funniest movie you haven't seen

[budikavlan · 10/10 · 23 February 2004]

Despite a fairly well-known cast, this one never made too many waves. I recommend you give it a try, however, in the interest of having a very good time. Even more mistaken identities, boomeranging cons, and wild coincidences that you ever thought you'd see punctuate this slambang farce, but the tone is so wifty and lighthearted you never lose faith. Great lead performances by O'Keefe, Gossett, and D'Angelo are teamed with great supporting performances by Dennehy, Lauter, and an early one by Jim Carrey. The funniest one of all, however, is David Wayne as the oldest conductor in America. Do yourself a favor and see this.

Good luck finding it

[craigjclark · 9/10 · 15 June 2001]

I managed to catch this on TV several years ago and haven't seen hide nor hair of it since. This is a shame because it is quite funny and full of Richard Lester's trademark humor. As with most films about con men (and women), a simple description of the plot would be anything but, but suffice to say Lester and his cast do an admirable job of keeping all the balls in the air for most of the film's running time. Watch for Jim Carrey in an early role as the dim-witted draft dodger.

"Finders Keepers" won't solve world peace, but it's good escapist fun and an excellent antidote for Lester's sub-par "Superman III."

This movie should be in DVD

[m_rappaport-1 · 8/10 · 30 May 2009]

I saw this movie on HBO in 1985, taped it and watched it again and again over the years. It's a wonderful screwball comedy, and Michael O'Keefe is great as the con man character who's trying to pass himself off as a soldier taking his dead buddy's casket home for burial.

I would have thought it would have found its way to DVD long before this, even if only because it was Jim Carrey's first real movie role. His part is small -- only a couple of scenes -- but it was easy to see he was going to be a big comic star.

Other great actors in it were Beverly D'Angelo, Louis Gossett Jr, Ed Lauter and Brian Dennehy. And who could ever forget Dennehy's great line when he says the mother of the dead soldier is "prostate with grief?" It's also the only movie I can remember that used Don McLean's "American Pie" over the closing credits.

Please, let's get this out on DVD.

This isn't "Silver Streak"...

[GOWBTW · 8/10 · 10 September 2020]

Train rides is something to look forward to. But in "Finders Keepers", it's a train ride you'll never forget. You have a con man who has run a roller derby team. He stiffed the team, after the guy he bought from, stiffed him. When he hears the stadium his team was using is about to be torn down, he rolled out of it letting the team be out for his blood. Earlier, the daughter and her partner steals $5 million dollars from her father's safe and puts it in the coffin heading to New York. Both movies started in California, but headed towards different destinations. "Silver Streak": Chicago, Illinois; "Finders Keepers: New York. One movie made to the destination, this one did some rerouting. Both movies have good star quality. Only this one avoids a train wreck. Funny and adventurous at the same time, it's a rarity for some since this is a Jim Carrey beginning of his early career. The caper of the money is intense, and everyone involved was going to get their share of the action. Seems like the crooks are the smartest in the film. The law knew only of the people, but not the money involved. It's thieves vs. con men. The law was in the middle. Add a scatterbrained actress, and it's a trainwreck ready to happen. This is a must see movie. If you like the open rails, take a ride in "Finders Keepers". 3 out of 5 stars.

Young, but good Carrey- Finders keepers alright.

[buzznzipp1995 · 10/10 · 29 June 2006]

Okay some may like it some may not, so what. For me, Jimmy C' is young and funny and upcoming, in this sideways-cock-eyed caper of 'Dennis' & 'Lester' ,however I have to say for me that David Wayne, "MR. Stapleton" (the 'Old-school' train conductor with the booming voice and bad hearing) who I had never really remembered from before, took 75% of the comedic performances. Performing a comedic duo (with F.B.I. man Ormond(played by: Jack Riley of 70s 'Newhart' fame) 'Stapleton'- slices words and grammar like a surgical steel blade in pudding while side kick-in' it with-Ormand F.B.I. In addition Ed Lauter is a great 'slender thug', Louis Gossett Jr. with his cool delivery and under control attitude exudes charm and for me, doesn't fail either. The chase in this movie is off the wall and the irreverent mode that Michael's character operates in, is fast, funny as heck and furious! The humor without giving anything away, is 'black' and very un 'P.C." and thats what makes this one totally under-appreciated, brick of comedic gold!! Not enough people have seen this movie for themselves. The audio seems a little antiquated, but what they are saying is right on the funny-money!!! This is one of my best of comedy films and with all the new comedy stuff coming out, it's appreciating in value every year.

I had never seen this movie before I bought the VHS on vacation in Santa Barbara. I hope to find it on DVD, this is one of my Top-100 movies. It was and is funny, every single time I watch it. Though some scoff, to 'Richard L' I say, the cast is perfect and this one still packs a riotous-wallop! Now, to who ever owns the 'Rights' to it, digitally remaster it, (audio & music score too) and get it out on the web and in stores!!! Plus ad some old or recent interviews with cast if it's possible. Please no sequel or remakes, it doesn't always work. Thanks-BGW

Made me laugh so much I nearly wet myself.

[SteveB_LadLand · 10/10 · 27 December 2006]

Breathing was a problem too !

You do need to pay attention as there are a few setups for gags later in the film and some parts may seem a little slow and confusing on the first viewing.

But I highly recommend this if you like to watch the equivalent of National Lampoons Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, The Ice Pirates, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World or any of the other wacky / screwball (and generally escalating out of control) comedies out there.

It may not be one of yours but is definitely one of my favourites and I am still waiting for it on DVD.

If you liked any of the films in the above list, give it a try if you see it listed.

Laughed so hard I almost hurt myself

[SteveFranklin · 19 January 2004]

I first saw this at a Drive-In. It made me laugh so hard that I fell to the floor. As a 6'3" driver, slipping beneath the steering wheel, this was no minor accomplishmen (nor was disentangling myself and escaping so i could sit up again). I felt the movie delivered one pleasant surprise after another, presenting unpredictable and hilarious situations. The pace seemed to start deliberately slow so that it could steadily build. What some considered uneven pacing stuck me as a gift that allowed me to occasionally catch my breath. Now, if it would only be released on DVD!

Found this keeper while zapping.

[sir_ollibolli · 9/10 · 28 November 2002]

I stumbled upon this wonderful comedy purely by chance, while zapping through some TV channels a friend of mine and me dropped into a weird chase, where some girls on rollers try to catch a man in a local marathon. We continued watching this movie and had a really good time, laughing and laughing.

This is what comedies are all about. If it gets you laughing, it is good. If you can't stop laughing, then it's a keeper... 9/10