Mixed Nuts (1994) Reviews

• I'm so upset no one else loves this movie....

  muzikla2005-03-11

  I think I might cry. I feel so hopelessly misunderstood. This movie is brilliant.... I feel as though the epitome of my sense of humor has been rated "two stars"... this is depressing... It's just... brilliant. It's completely nonsensicle and pointless and brilliant, much like a dream I might have when on too much cold medicine. Much like the dreams that I find most delightful... It's one of those movies I find myself quoting all the time just to hear the lines again. Everyone thinks I'm nuts when I quote it because of course no one has ever heard of it. I've taken to making the little "plop" noise that Steve Martin does when he gets too flustered... when I get too flustered. Madeline Kahn is my hero. I relate too well to Mrs. Munchnik, sanity surrounded by chaos only to find that deep down, she too is a nut. If I were stuck on an elevator, I would have acted just as she had, making up little raps... It's the simple stuff... simple stupid stuff. That's what makes this film so brilliantly refreshing. It's so dumb! Take Adam Sandler, for instance. There was no reason for this character whatsoever. It was entirely random and uncalled for. It was almost as if he happened to be walking by and they called him over and said "Hey, Adam! Wanna be in a movie?"... the only thing he did was show off his mad ukulele skills. And he made me laugh... he was there for the sole purpose of being funny, no strings attached. It was so refreshing. As was this whole movie. Like a good dream! To me it is proof that when you have fun making it (which it appears impossible that they did not), you have fun watching it. At least I do... I'm gonna watch it tonight and appreciate it's wonderfulness.

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• A brilliantly silly comedy.

  christine_dld2005-09-03

  I can't believe how many people don't like this film! This is a must-see (many times!) each year before Christmas for my son and me. The beginning is a little slow but once the comedy really gets going it's hysterical! And in my opinion, the acting was priceless and each actor's comic timing brilliant. It would be very difficult for me to pick a favorite performance in this film, but if I had to, I would say Madeline Kahn as Mrs. Munchnick. Her facial expressions are adorable and I would say that her best scene was when she finally made it to the bathroom (won't give too much away!). Rita Wilson also gave a top-notch performance as the pathetically adorably Kathryn. Oh, and the soundtrack is great, too!

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• Black, black comedy

  aberlour362003-05-25

  This is not a film for everyone. One must appreciate black humor. If you do, this is a delight. I found it hilarious. True, it's blasphemous and screwy and not at all politically correct. That's a good start. What follows is, at times, breathtaking. Three cheers for Madeline Kahn. And for the courageous director and writer; a woman after my own heart.

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• actually quite good

  lee_eisenberg2005-10-21

  One of those "slice of life" stories, "Mixed Nuts" portrays several hours on Christmas Eve in a crisis hot-line center where Phil (Steve Martin) works. Over the day, a most unusual series of events happens, and no one's life will ever be the same again. Some of the scenes are real shockers (you'll know them when you see them). Steve Martin has a great time with the role, as does Rita Wilson as Catherine O'Shaughnessy, Phil's co-worker. You'll really like the elevator scene. Great support from Madeline Kahn, Robert Klein, Juliette Lewis, Anthony LaPaglia, Rob Reiner, Adam Sandler, and Liev Schreiber make this movie truly one Christmas treat. Jon Stewart and Parker Posey also appear.

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• The title sums it up...

  dlcasey2000-01-01

  This comedy sports a delightful cast with...well, mixed nuts! Actually the title comes from the fact that the Steve Martin character's father was hit and killed by a truck loaded with mixed nuts, but we all really know what it's really about. Martin, Madeline Kahn (we miss you!), and Rob Reiner are very funny here, and some of the younger folks are very funny. I really thought Adam Sandler more or less made this thing... Basically a story of a crisis-phone answering service manned by folks with neuroses and other generalized problems. Interwoven are stories of other problem folks. It all seems to work out in a mad-cap way, and although this isn't the funniest movie, it is still very enjoyable, and worth the rent. Lonely people at Christmas...and the ones they intend to help...all mixed in like cashews, peanuts, filberts...you get it! Enjoy.

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