The Freshman | | Cast : | Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick | | Director : | Andrew Bergman | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | July 20, 1990 | | DVD Released Date : | August 31, 2004 | | Language : | French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | March 07, 2005 | | Summary | Worth seeing for Brando's performance, but not much else | Content
 | The Freshman is probably best known for Marlon Brando doing a parody of his legendary Godfather character. While in itself, this performance is pretty funny, the film in which it occurs is fairly forgettable, and ultimately a letdown.
Matthew Broderick stars as Clark Kellogg, a freshman at NYU film school who gets fleeced of all his belongings before he even sets foot on campus. The perpetrator is Victor Ray (Bruno Kirby) who, when Clark catches up with him, sets him up with a job working for Vic's uncle, Carmine Sabatini (Brando), who Clark immediately notices bears an uncanny resemblance to Don Corleone. Clark's job, for which he will be compensated $500, is to transport some unidentified cargo from JFK Airport to Cherry Hill, NJ.
Clark is more than a little surprised when he finds out that the cargo he is to move is, in fact, a Komodo dragon. He decides that this job is not for him, and wants to get out, but Carmine has taken quite a liking to this kid, so much so that he insists Clark marry his only daughter, Tina (Penelope Ann Miller). Clark is confused by the whole situation, and even moreso when federal agents need his help in their investigation of Carmine's use of these endangered species. As it turns out, more than one party involved in this fiasco are not revealing all the cards they have been dealt.
The Freshman is a harmless film, intended simply to make you laugh. And there are a few laughs to be had here, but not nearly as many as would be expected. A lot of the jokes fall flat, such as how everybody seems to think Clark is from a different state in the Midwest. Throughout the film, I found myself just waiting for something better to happen, and it never really did. It's good to see a movie do a send-up of gangster flicks, but this one just doesn't do much for me.
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| Rating | | | Date | July 05, 2004 | | Summary | A MUST SEE! | Content
| To quote another critic from 1990, any film that shows Marlon Brando ice skating and Bert Parks singing Bob Dylan's Maggie's Farm is a MUST SEE! |
| Rating | | | Date | October 28, 2003 | | Summary | Delightful movie, often overlooked. | Content
| Young Clark Kellogg (Matthew Broderick) comes to New York, and within minutes, is robbed of most of his possessions. Even though he finds the robber, he is still short on cash (NYU Film School's required books aren't cheap) and is receptive to the idea of a job as an errand boy. He is stunned to meet his boss, Carmine Sabatini (Marlon Brando), who happens to look and sound like Don Vito Corleone. Clark soon finds himself tangled with Sabatini's Mafia-like affairs, not to mention his daughter, but mixed with that is a genuine liking and respect for the pseudo-Don. But with danger threatening from the Feds and a mob from South Amboy, is there a way out for both of them? A delight of humor, as both Broderick and Brando excel. Look for a tour de force by Maximillian Schnell as the mysterious Larry London. Lots of in-jokes here, from the portrayal of NYU Film School to Sabatini telling Kellogg that he knows a few people in Hollywood! The final scenes leave you laughing (Bert Parks hailing a Komodo Dragon with a Miss America parody, the very Germanic London being given intro music of a few notes of "Deutchland Uber Alles" and "The Ride of the Valkyies", Sabatini addressing said Komodo Dragon with "You cudda been a handbag" (recalling the backseat scene from "On the Waterfront"). The movie never takes itself too seriously. One wishes that, given the capabilities of the DVD, that more material would be given the viewer. Unfortunately, we are left with the theatrical trailer and not much more. Disappointing. The liner notes do disclose that the role of Sabatini was not actually written for Brando, and that the Komodo Dragon was played by a number of similar-looking giant monitors. Still, one of the finest comedy movies of the late '80s. You won't regret it. |
| Rating | | | Date | September 16, 2003 | | Summary | Idiotic,stupid, ridiculous, and inane | Content
| If there was ever a stupid and idiotic idea for a movie, this is it. Any kind of aliens from any planet invading any place would make more sense than this movie. The only redeeming feature is Brando's performance, which in the context of the plot, writing, and other performances, is a miracle.
This movie idea and script is straight out of the trash. A five year old kid could write a better script. Each and every executive who ok'ed this movie should be fired and never work again in film. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 18, 2002 | | Summary | Hilarious love song to gangster movies, comedy, and plot | Content
| This is a wonderful movie to have in your collection, because your appreciation and enjoyment will be immediate, and continue to grow over time. It combines swift dialog, hilarious performances, well done running gags, and a great street-level view of New York. The humorous parodies are obvious and rich, and yet it's wonderful to see Broderick's character try and act as if he's not -really- going through what he's going through - - his efforts to remain aloof to the farce he's embroiled in are truly wonderful. Performances from all other members of the cast are equally excellent. Not just Brando, but also Bruno Kirby; Kirby has really done something fantastic in this movie, and I've never seen him better. And Bert Parks!! Oh, my, who could have expected Bert Parks to do what he did!! Miss this one at your own risk. |
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