Home Fries
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Home Fries
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Home Fries is a romcom about an extramarital affair that leads to characters seeking revenge through various attacks and plots. Far-fetched to the extreme, brothers Dorian (Luke Wilson) and Angus (Jake Busey) use a Cobra attack helicopter to scare -- not kill -- their stepfather who is having an affair with Sally (Drew Barrymore) and who is pregnant with their child. The plan backfires when he is literally scared to death and dies of a heart attack. After suspecting their deed was overheard, a new pursuit begins to eliminate those who may know too much, going as far as trying (and failing) to gas a woman's house with carbon monoxide. There is also some brandishing of guns -- although none are fired -- and the aforementioned helicopter is used again in yet another attempt at revenge. A scene in a morgue sees a character taking the jacket belonging to a corpse. There is some swearing, including "s--t," "whore," and "crap." The iconic cast and progressive female leads provide ripe talking points.
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What's the Story?
HOME FRIES finds Sally (Drew Barrymore), an employee at a burger restaurant, heavily pregnant following an affair with Henry (Chris Ellis), a married man. After Henry tells Sally he has confessed to his wife, Beatrice (Catherine O'Hara), he is pursued by his stepsons Dorian (Luke Wilson) and Angus (Jake Busey) and attacked via gunshots from a fighter helicopter. This preposterous attempt to scare Henry causes death by heart attack, leaving Sally heartbroken and lost. Dorian and Angus are forced to cover their tracks when the discussion of the attack is picked up on a nearby radio that happens to lead back to the headsets used in the burger restaurant. In an attempt to find out how the headsets work and how much is known about their attack, Dorian gets a job at the restaurant.
Is It Any Good?
With its thick plot and outlandish premise, this bizarre romcom unfortunately doesn't quite land its intention to be the zany, forward-thinking comedy it aspires to be. Home Fries does, however, offer some satisfying performances from some of '90s Hollywood's iconic stars. It also provides an early glimpse to the talents of writer Vince Gilligan who went on to write and direct the acclaimed TV series Breaking Bad.
Rare for its time, the themes of unwed pregnancy and empowered, complex female leads, place the movie in the canon of unsuspecting feminist films. All of which could lead to a fruitful discussion on female representation and motherhood. Alternatively sit back and simply enjoy this madcap ride of a movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Home Fries. Did the comedic tone of the movie make the violent scenes less impactful? If so, why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
How did the movie portray sex and relationships? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
The plot centers around people wanting to take revenge? Can revenge ever be a good thing? What is the difference between revenge and justice?
Discuss the different depictions of motherhood in the movie. How many were there and what were the differences and similarities?
How would you describe the lead female characters? Were they portrayed sympathetically? Did they get what they wanted? Did they let anyone tell them what to do?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 25, 1998
- On DVD or streaming: June 1, 2004
- Cast: Drew Barrymore, Luke Wilson, Catherine O'Hara
- Director: Dean Parisot
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- Run time: 91 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic elements and some sexual humor
- Last updated: June 30, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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50 First Dates
Silly, crude humor and a dash of romance.
-
Juno
Brilliant teen-pregnancy comedy, but iffy for kids.
-
Raising Arizona
Hysterically twisted tale has profanity, violence.
For kids who love romcoms
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