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Drop Dead Fred: Difference between revisions
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[[File:DropDeadFredPoster.png|frame]]
'''''Drop Dead Fred''''' is a 1991 film starring Phoebe Cates and Rik Mayall as the eponymous Fred. Originally the movie was panned by critics and not much of a box office success; however, over the years, it has been able to achieve a cult status. There was speculation of a remake starring Russell Brand in the titular role, but it has since fallen into [[Development Hell]].
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Cronin has had a horrible day, her entire life falling apart within a single lunch hour. First, while trying to reconcile with her husband over his affair, he dumps her. Her purse and then car are stolen as she tries to figure out what to do about her life, and finally she loses her job. Lizzie's controlling mother Polly arrives on the scene and Shanghais Lizzie into staying with her. Upon returning to her childhood home and exploring her old room, Lizzie discovers an old, taped up jack-in-the-box. When she opens it, Lizzie ends up releasing her childhood imaginary friend Drop Dead Fred, whom her mother had trapped inside the toy many years ago.
Having been imprisoned in the toy for twenty-three years, Fred is surprised to find Lizzie grown up, depressed and piled under her unhappy life. As her imaginary friend, he tries to help her put things back together and cheer her up like he did when she was little. Fred's [[Blue and Orange Morality|sense of humour]] and disregard for consequences [[Hilarity Ensues|cause some more problems for Elizabeth]], but he ultimately helps her rediscover her inner child and the strength to live her own life free from her domineering, emotionally abusive mother.
Compare the 1996 film ''[[Bogus]]''.
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{{tropelist}}
* [[Abusive Parents]]: Lizzie's mother definitely goes into this area.
* [[Adult Child]]: Fred.
** Lizzie's mother tries to keep her as this as well... despite becoming outraged at normal childhood behavior, she also doesn't want Lizzie to grow up and become a fully-functioning individual. When Lizzie seems to be having a mental breakdown, her mother takes her to a ''child'' psychiatrist.
* [[Animated Credits Opening]]
* [[Applied Phlebotinum]]: The green pills.
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* [[Not-So-Imaginary Friend]]: Fred.
* [[Redheaded Hero]]: Fred.
* [[Real After All]]: Played with, at the end when Lizzie {{spoiler| dumps Charles and decides to date Mickey. When she visits him, she finds out not only does he have a daughter, but said daughter also has an imaginary friend named Drop Dead Fred, much to Mickey's confusion and Lizzie's surprise. However Fred doesn't seem to recognize her (or does he?) nor is Lizzie able to see him anymore.}}
* [[Refuge in Vulgarity]]
* [[Rich Bitch]]: Polly.
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*** And a huge insurance payout:
{{quote|'''Janie:''' Have you ever seen so many zeroes outside of the national debt?}}
***** Actually, you're the one who doesn't know how insurance works. There is a "vandalism and malicious mischief" category for exactly this sort of thing... Janie could simply report to her insurance company that her boat had been ransacked and her possessions destroyed, without telling them who did it. Unless the amount of money they were dealing with was ''truly'' phenomenal, most insurance investigators are going to come aboard, check things out, "Yup, somebody smashed this stuff", do their due diligence in establishing Janie didn't do it herself, and recommend the company pay. Also insurance does not work on paying you back the money that you paid for items, it works on the ''appraised worth'' of the items. If the boat was paid off but was still listed with a high book value, they'd pay her the book value, not what she paid for it or just say "Well it was already paid for."
**** Although considering the 'lunatic' in this case is imaginary, the insurance people may have wrote it up as 'accidental'.
* [[Title Drop]]: Lizzie says "Drop dead, Fred" more than once.
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* [[Traumatic Haircut]]: Fred does this to Lizzie's new do while she's sleeping.
** And also once when she was younger.
* [[Wild Take]]: Fred when he peers up the skirt of a woman at a party.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]
[[Category:Drop Dead Fred]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Cult Classic]]
[[Category:Vinegar Syndrome]]
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