Crazy Enough to Tell the Truth?

 

The movie Crazy People is the story of Emory Leeson (Dudley Moore), an ad agency creative who, while experiencing a nervous breakdown, designs a series of "truthful" ads with help from some other folks experiencing mental issues. These unlikely ads are wildly successful. And, funny as hell. And, in most cases, a bit offensive.

If you're a copywriter or otherwise involved in the world of advertising/marketing, check it out. I doubt you'll suggest to anyone that it's a good movie (it's at least an hour too long), but you'll have some laughs.

Here's a taste:

I think the movie was trying to make a point by asking, "Who are the crazy people?" and letting the audience decide. Ad execs? Ad creatives? People who believe ads? People in psychiatric care facilities? People who run psychiatric care facilities? Everybody?

Frankly, I don't care. I just got a kick out of some of the "truthful" ads.

SPOILER ALERT

Stop reading if you're planning on seeing the movie.

If there's a slim to no chance that you're going to watch it, here are some of the "truth in advertising" headlines:

• Jaguar. For men who'd like hand jobs from beautiful women they hardly know.
  
  
• Forget Paris. The French can be annoying. Come to Greece. We're nicer.
  
  
• Buy Volvos. They're boxy but they're good.
  
  
• Come to New York. There were fewer murders than last year.
  
  
• Your fear of flying may be valid. United Airlines. Most of our passengers get there alive.
  
  
• Quaker Oats. Does this cereal taste great? Who knows. But the box is cute.
  
  

Come to think of it, maybe instead of watching the movie, you can save time by just viewing the trailer:

FYI, the film didn't do so well. Roger Ebert gave it 2 stars. Its Rotten Tomatoes rating is 37%. And it's dated, politically incorrect, and potentially offensive and/or insulting to certain groups of people.