Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 7, 2015

1990 was a very big year for Andrew Dice Clay. As a comedian, he was the hottest ticket around, building an empire on dirty jokes that took him from a club act to Madison Square Garden, creating a frenzy wherever he played. The records were selling and his popularity (rooted in controversy) was unstoppable. However, his acting career needed a little work, with supporting parts in “Casual Sex?” and “Pretty in Pink” failing to make him a marquee name during the 1980s. 20th Century Fox, sensing a ripe opportunity, elected to bring Clay to the big time, creating a starring vehicle in “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane,” an action comedy based on characters from author Rex Weiner. Handed the spotlight and the services of director Renny Harlin (fresh off his success with “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master”), Clay made the most out of a rare opportunity, infusing the script with his own quirks and callbacks, creating a character not unlike his stage persona, set loose in a wildly entertaining detective yarn. “Ford Fairlane” isn’t for every taste, but those tuned into Clay’s goofy personality are rewarded with a hilarious performance that finds the comedian at his most confidant and playfully mischievous.

Ford Fairlane (Andrew Dice Clay) is known around Los Angeles as the “Rock and Roll Detective,” but he’s barely making ends meet with a lack of cash flow. Handed a mission to find groupie ZuZu Petals (Maddie Corman) by former pal Johnny (Gilbert Gottfried), Ford sets out to retrieve the ditz, only to cross paths with mysterious power player Colleen (Priscilla Presley), who’s also hunting for Petals. Piecing together clues and motivations with help from his girl Friday, Jazz (Lauren Holly), Ford realizes he’s in over his head, trying to keep himself alive as he investigates menacing record label mogul Julian Grendel (Wayne Newton) and avoids lunatic hitman Smiley (Robert Englund).

While Ford Fairlane is a character, he’s really only a heightened version of Andrew Dice Clay in the film. The comedian’s acting to a certain degree, playing the part of an exasperated detective who partakes in one-night stands and guzzles Sambuca milkshakes, always remaining one step ahead of his targets with finely-honed instincts and a spring-loaded pistol shoved up his sleeve. Ford is also a leather-jacket wearing misogynist who does Al Pacino and John Travolta impressions, smokes constantly, and often monologues to no one in particular. Where Clay ends and Ford begins is fairly easy to spot, with rehearsed routines weaving throughout the screenplay (co-authored by “Heathers” and “Hudson Hawk” writer, Daniel Waters), but that’s part of the fun of “Ford Fairlane,” which celebrates the comedian during this particularly virile moment in his career, utilizing timing and commitment to horseplay while the plot tends to the hunt for Petals, the collection of data CDs, the death of metal singer Bobby Black (Vince Neil), Colleen’s secretive interests in kinky sex play, and the wrath of Grendel, who’s so perfectly played by Newton (all ego and affluence), he nearly steals the picture from Clay.

Harlin displays remarkable command over pacing and excitement, breaking up Clay’s musings on life and losers with impressively designed action beats, including a graveyard hearse chase between Ford and Smiley where the brutes trade one-liners and bullets as they steamroll over headstones. Later in the feature, an escape plan off the roof of the Capitol Records building leads to a memorable slide down the outside of the structure, with Ford showing as much interest in the preservation of Petals’s life as he does the securing of his prized Jimi Hendrix guitar, cruelly launched into the night by Grendel. Tight editing from Michael Tronick (which favors sharp transitions and comic book wipes) and gorgeous, communicative cinematography by Oliver Wood help Harlin to achieve his dream of speed, but the helmer also carefully inserts comedy into every scene, giving “Ford Fairlane” a farcical velocity without spilling over into high camp. Indulgences remain, including Ford’s studio performance of “I Ain’t Got You” (which transforms the effort into a musical for a moment), yet Harlin is smart here, wisely blending a widescreen visual experience with Clay’s nonsense, which does wonders to dilute his natural toxicity. “Ford Fairlane” almost makes the star endearing, which is perhaps the highest praise I can bestow on Harlin.

“Ford Fairlane” is a very silly picture, but one that pulls off such cartoon antics with aplomb. Clay’s potty mouth and Harlin’s violence preserve R-rated interests, but the rest of the feature is happy to let loose with goofballery, finding the supporting cast up to the challenge. Outside of the rare opportunity to spy Gottfried using his everyday voice during his performance (a genuinely shocking moment), actors such as Corman, Holly, David Patrick Kelly (as a deranged rock band stalker), and Englund truly dig into the high-flying spirit of the movie, joining Clay with broad work that electrifies the tone of the effort. And there’s a special place in Valhalla reserved for Ed O’Neill, who gives an exceptional dim-wit tough guy spin to Lt. Amos, Ford’s police adversary and pioneer disco stud, still clinging to his band’s only success, the song “Booty Time.” He’s not in the film for very long, but he makes an impression, bouncing off Clay in a unique way.

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation comes across perfectly serviceable but never remarkable, handling the challenge of the feature's smoky, softer cinematography with adequate sharpness. Detail is available, allowing viewers to pick out design particulars and admire costuming, while close-ups bring out some facial textures. Colors show their age, but primaries remain satisfying, finding Holly's red hair retaining some pop, while intricate lighting carries additional impact. Skintones are comfortable. Grain fluctuates, periodically reaching a few mildly noisy bursts. Contrast isn't completely secure at times. Delineation isn't lost, with defined evening adventures and fabrics. At the very least, the BD is a filmic improvement over the DVD release, even if it lacks a fresh scan to truly fit the movie for an HD crown.

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 TrueHD mix delivers some punch, with soundtrack selections carrying a nice low-end beat and defined instrumentation, and the score remains chipper and intentional, supporting the action comfortably. Dialogue exchanges are decent, hitting a few crispy highs along the way. The track really brings out the additions and deletions made to the picture in post-production, with ADR work clear as can be. Violent exchanges and chase chaos are nicely arranged, though a few of the explosions and gun shots feature unnaturally crackly extremes. Surrounds are utilized well, offering evocative atmospherics, finding beach scenes aggressive with the sounds of rolling waves. Some directional movement is welcome, and a general circular hold for the music brings energy to the listening experience.

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplementary features on this disc.

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" is dated (Milli Vanilli references and a supporting turn from Tone Loc lock the film up as a 1990 time capsule), but it doesn't drag in the least, remaining ridiculous and inappropriate from start to finish. Of course, the picture's effectiveness is dependent on a certain level of tolerance for the work of Andrew Dice Clay, but Harlin maintains a jovial spirit as he messes around with detective movie formula and visits a few L.A. hot spots. It's wildly entertaining work.