Hot Shots! (1991)
Director: Jim Abrahams
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Enlisted in a top secret bombing mission alongside the élite of the Navy's air corps, hot-headed flyboy Topper Harley (Sheen) must first convince the beautiful base psychiatrist (Golino) that his mental quirks won't endanger the operation. In the event, he earns her love, his comrades' respect, and a one-way ticket to Disneyland. This Kentucky Fried movie dogs Top Gun like canned laughter dogging a feeble joke. There's nothing as subtle as parody here. Instead, Abrahams and co-writer Pat Proft keep the narrative framework out of harm's way while taking pot shots at whatever takes their fancy, from Nine 1/2 Weeks to Dances with Wolves. These spoofs are funny up to a point, but Abrahams can't summon much conviction for the job; too often, a mere allusion does all the work, while wackier gags are stretched beyond breaking point. It might be funnier.Author: TCh
Cast & crew
Director: Jim Abrahams
Producer: Bill Badalato
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn, Jon Cryer, William O'Leary, Kristy Swanson, Efrem Zimbalist Jr full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 85 mins
Features
Gray's anatomy
James Gray wants to push buttons—again.
The next big thing?
Gigantic Releasing tries to rethink indie distribution…without movie theaters.
Red Diva: Lyubov Orlova, First Lady of Soviet Cinema
So you think you can dance, comrade?
Puppet master
Coraline director Henry Selick takes stop-motion animation into 3-D.
Socratic method
Laurent Cantet's approach on the set matches the message of his film.
Wander woman
Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy puts a Bush-era spin on the road movie.
Oscars
Read our interviews with the nominees, our reviews of the nominated films and more.

What do you think?
Post your review now