Modern Problems
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Modern Problems is a 1981 American fantasy comedy film written and directed by Ken Shapiro and starring Chevy Chase, Patti D'Arbanville and Dabney Coleman. The film grossed $26,154,211 in the United States. A DVD release of the film was issued in 2005.
Plot
Max Fiedler (Chevy Chase) is an air traffic controller at New York's Kennedy Intl. Airport whose life is slowly going down the drain. His girlfriend, Darcy (Patti D'Arbanville), has just left him because of his jealousy. Now, everywhere he goes he seems to run into her with another man, driving him nuts. One night while he's driving home from a party at a gay nightclub in Lower Manhattan, a tanker truck spills nuclear waste onto his car and through his open sunroof, covering him with glowing green goo. The next day, he notices that he has developed telekinetic powers. With this newfound discovery, Max decides to put his powers to use by striking back at his tormentors to win back the love of Darcy.
He is asked to spend the weekend at the summer beach house of a paraplegic friend (Brian Doyle-Murray), who has also invited some other friends, including Max's ex-wife Lorraine (Mary Kay Place) as well as his ex-girlfriend, plus self-confidence author and womanizer Mark Winslow (Dabney Coleman) who has designs on Darcy. Winslow constantly demeans and derides Max, while trying to seduce Darcy (although his egomanical bragging and unabashed nudity just seems to alienate her).
Max gets his revenge by using his powers to humiliate his rival, meanwhile freaking out the other guests. Finally, he sees himself becoming a monster, and by a fortuitous stroke of lightning his powers are transferred to Dorita, the voodoo-practicing maid (Nell Carter). Max's girlfriend forgives him and he realizes that she truly does love him.
Cast
- Chevy Chase as Maxwell "Max" Fiedler
- Patti D'Arbanville as Darcy Carson
- Mary Kay Place as Lorraine
- Brian Doyle-Murray as Brian Stills
- Nell Carter as Dorita
- Dabney Coleman as Mark Winslow
- Mitch Kreindel as Barry
- Arthur Sellers as Mobile Supervisor
- Sandy Helberg as Pete
- Neil Thompson as Controller #1
- Carl Irwin as Controller #2
- Ronald E. House as Vendor (as Ron House)
- Buzzy Linhart as The Tile Man
- Henry Corden as Dubrovnik
- Christine Nazareth as Redhead
- Luke Andreas as Tough Guy
- Jan Speck as Brunette
- Vincenzo Gagliardi as Singer
- François Cartier as Pianist
- Pat Proft as Maitre 'd
- Jim Hudson as Doctor
- Tom Sherohman as Waiter
- Frank Birney as Man in Lobby
- Reid Olson as Principal Dancer
See also
