Men at Work (1990 film)

Men at Work is a 1990 American action black comedy thriller film written and directed by Emilio Estevez, who also starred in the lead role. The film co-stars Charlie Sheen, Leslie Hope and Keith David. The film was released in the United States on August 24, 1990.

Men at Work
Theatrical release poster
Directed byEmilio Estevez
Produced byCassian Elwes
Written byEmilio Estevez
Starring
Music byStewart Copeland
CinematographyTim Suhrstedt
Edited byCraig Bassett
Production
company
Epic Productions
Distributed byTriumph Releasing Corporation
Release date
  • August 24, 1990 (1990-08-24)
Running time
98 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$9 million
Box office$16,247,964 (USA)

Plot

Carl Taylor and James St. James, a pair of troublemaking garbagemen who dream of owning a surf shop, are known for tossing garbage cans in the street and making noise that disturbs their residents. A local cop, Mike, hassles them frequently, but Carl and James are used to this treatment and shrug it off. After completing their shift, they are put on probation for their antics and are told they will be receiving an observer for their next shift: their supervisor's brother, Louis.

After work, the pair spy on a woman, Susan Wilkins, living across the street with a telescope and watch as she is mistreated by a man who is with her. Once she leaves the room, Carl, in a form of payback, shoots the man in the rear with a pellet gun. As James and Carl hide and laugh, two men enter the room, strangle the man and drag him away. His body is then stuffed in a barrel that falls out of their vehicle and ends up found the next day by Carl and James on their garbage route. James and Carl, being the one that shot him, freak out when they realize the body is that of Jack Berger, a city councilman who was running for mayor. Louis, a semi-crazed no-nonsense Vietnam War vet, calms the two down by explaining that Jack had been strangled.

Louis, demanding that the cops not get involved, commandeers the situation by having them stash the body at Carl's place. Carl, seeing Susan come home, decides to meet her by going over to her apartment building. They hit it off and decide to go for a night drive. Meanwhile, Louis exacerbates their problems when he kidnaps a pizza delivery man who sees James with the body. James tries to call the police, but Louis unplugs the phone and drags James, the pizza guy and the body into following Carl and Susan.

While pursuing Carl and Susan, they are pulled over by Mike and his partner, Jeff. Louis, using the pellet gun and the pizza guy as a hostage, forces Mike and Jeff to drop their guns before handcuffing them together in a compromising position at a playground. Meanwhile, Carl and Susan are discovered and kidnapped by Biff and Mario, the hitmen who had killed Jack. The couple are brought before Maxwell Potterdam III, a corrupt businessman that has been dumping toxic waste illegally. Jack was covering for him and when he tried to back out, Maxwell had him killed. Carl and Susan are stuffed into cans and set to be disposed of in the lake that serves as the illegal dump site. Carl's barrel falls off the truck and he is freed, and he and James manage to grab onto the truck carrying Susan while Louis follows behind in a rent-a-cop car.

Carl frees Susan and the group neutralizes Potterdam's squad of goons, terrorize him with their pranks and the body, and then throw him in the toxic water.

Cast

Production

Development

The original screenplay was tentatively titled Clear Intent and was written in the mid 1980s. Estevez came up with the idea while he was filming the 1985 movie St. Elmo's Fire.

"I was living in a studio apartment in Santa Monica at the time, and I was up late one night sitting at the kitchen table working out some story ideas on my computer. All of a sudden, this trash truck came roaring down the alley under my window. It was 5 a.m. and it just struck me -- no one had ever done a movie about trashmen before."[1]

It was slated to star another Brat Packer alongside Estevez such as Judd Nelson.[2]

At one stage Estevez said John Hughes was going to act as a producer or director on the project.[3][4]

"When I was reading it, I thought it was so good, so close to my bone, that I had written it", said Hughes. "Emilio wants to direct it, and I'm sure he will be able to. He can do anything. He can act, he can write, he can direct. He's surpassed me in that respect. I can't act--I wish I could."[5]

Estevez wound up doing 15 different drafts on the film. He said he had no intention of using his brother in the movie, but Sheen said he wanted in after reading the script. "He felt he needed a comedy at this point of his career", Estevez said.[1]

Estevez eventually raised funds from epic pictures who provided the $9 million budget.[6]

The films title was changed to Pop 65 then to Men at Work.[7]

Shooting

The majority of the movie was shot in Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach in California.

Charlie Sheen said his brother "was great.. . . He knew me too well. He'd say, 'Dude, let's get real here.' I respect the hell out of Emilio. He's very tai chi when it comes to directing."[8]

Estevez says he wanted his brother to "sort of push the envelope and play the humor. He has a wonderful sense of humor, which hasn't really been put on film yet – up to now. Charlie has a very dry sense of humor, very cynical. And out of that comes some great, great humor."[9]

Filming started in March 1989. The studio disliked the original ending, leading to ten more days of filming.[10] Estevez edited the film while making Young Guns II during the day.

Estevez later said "For me to be able to do a movie where saving the environment is the underlying theme is the greatest contribution I can make, I think. More people are going to see what I'm doing in a film and be educated through entertainment than if I show up at a rally. I'm working on putting the causes I think we need to address into my work and into the projects I choose."[9]

Reception

Considering its relatively small production budget, Men at Work did well in theaters, grossing US$16,247,964, $3,184,311 of that within the first week.[11]

The critical reception for the film was negative. Men at Work currently holds a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 27 reviews.[12]

Soundtrack

Men at Work (Rhino/Wea, July 18, 1990)

  1. "Wear You to the Ball" – UB40
  2. "Super Cool" – Sly & Robbie
  3. "Big Pink House" – Tyrants in Therapy
  4. "Feeling Good" – Pressure Drop
  5. "Back to Back" – Blood Brothers
  6. "Take Heed" – Black Uhuru
  7. "Here and Beyond" – Sly & Robbie
  8. "Truthful" – Blood Brothers
  9. "Reggae Ambassador" – Third World
  10. "Give a Little Love" – Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
  11. "Playas Dawn" – Stewart Copeland
  12. "Pink Panther No. 23" – Stewart Copeland

References
  1. Barry Koltnow (Aug 1, 1990). "A break from the pack while many of his peers struggle with negative publicity, emilio estevez forges ahead with `Young guns II' and his second outing as a director". Orange County Register. ProQuest 272479838.
  2. Blum, David (1985-06-10). "Hollywood's Brat Pack". New York Magazine: 45.
  3. Paula Span (Jun 26, 1985). "Emilio estevez, seriously". The Washington Post. ProQuest 138607207.
  4. Blau, R. (Oct 31, 1985). "Tempo". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 176407418.
  5. David Blum (Jul 14, 1985). "THE BRAT PACK". Chicago Tribune. ProQuest 290853869.
  6. Bob Thomas, A. P. (Aug 20, 1990). "BIG FILM SUMMER FOR SHEEN BROTHERS". Orlando Sentinel. ProQuest 277723964.
  7. Klady, L. (Feb 5, 1989). "Cinefile". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 280669716.
  8. Carr, J. (Jul 15, 1990). "PRESENTING THE NEW AND IMPROVED CHARLIE SHEEN". Boston Globe. ProQuest 294600569.
  9. Burke-Block, C. (Sep 2, 1990). "MAN AT WORK". Philadelphia Inquirer. ProQuest 1835636168.
  10. Beck, M. (Jan 23, 1990). "Nude scene for a jackson". The Province. ProQuest 267347610.
  11. Men at Work at Box Office Mojo
  12. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/men_at_work_1990
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