The Dark Backward

Name: The Dark Backward
Genre: Comedy
Released: March 9, 1991
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Bill Paxton, Carrie Lynn, Claudia Christian, Danny Dayton, James Caan

1991

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Mixed or average reviews based on 7 Critic Reviews

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Movie Details & Credits

August Entertainment | Release Date: March 9, 1991 | R

Starring: Bill Paxton, Carrie Lynn, Claudia Christian, Danny Dayton, James Caan, Judd Nelson, King Moody, Lara Flynn Boyle, Rob Lowe, Wayne Newton

Summary: A man pursues stand-up comedy encouraged by his fellow garbage man. Though his friend, who accompanies him on accordion, continues to tell him how great he is, he actually stinks. When the "comedian" grows a third arm out of his back, the friend uses this twist to get him signed up with a sleazy talent agent, and it begins to look like hisA man pursues stand-up comedy encouraged by his fellow garbage man. Though his friend, who accompanies him on accordion, continues to tell him how great he is, he actually stinks. When the "comedian" grows a third arm out of his back, the friend uses this twist to get him signed up with a sleazy talent agent, and it begins to look like his career is on the move, even though his girlfriend has left him.… Expand

Director: Adam Rifkin

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 101 min

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Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas

Rifkin has spun a pitch-black fable of show business at its sleaziest and most ephemeral. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Rifkin has fashioned a crawly little movie that underscores the Faustian price of fame in a way that few recent films have managed. Read full review

Michael Sauter

Somewhere here, an ironic show-biz parable is trying to take shape. But director Adam Rifkin generally ignores it, preferring to flaunt the chops he has borrowed from David Lynch and John Waters. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Mr. Rifkin's direction does display, in addition to an appreciation of Mr. Lynch and perhaps John Waters, a promising eye for design and a taste for the unusual. With less noxious material and a less patronizing manner, those talents would amount to a lot more. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

The film's sense of humor is relentlessly smutty. Rifkin attempts to wring laughs from gross food, breasts, garbage and sex with fat women. He is largely unsuccessful. Read full review

John Hartl

This stupefyingly unfunny attempt to create a midnight cult movie stars Judd Nelson as a talentless stand-up comic who becomes a celebrity when he grows a third arm out of the middle of his back. [26 Mar 1992, p.E2]

Peter Travers

Rifkin has conjured up a new low in cinematic ineptitude. Read full review

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User Reviews

flarnrules

Apr 13, 2023

This movie is really gross. I thas lots of sweaty people, who do really sweaty and gross things. 1 out of 10.

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