Christopher Lambert just happens to be in the burglary business with his future father-in-law, Christopher Lloyd. When by complete accident they steal a priceless ruby ring, all hell breaks loose, with the Turks, the police, and the local hoods, all after them. "Why Me?' is very much in the same spirit as a Woody Allen film like "Small Time Crooks", only with bigger laughs. J.T. Walsh, plays the Los Angeles Chief of Police, and has many memorable lines of deadpan humor, while Michael J. Pollard makes an appearance as a discriminating fence. One highlight is a "stoolie" who will only enter the witness protection program, if J.T. Walsh provides him with a sex change operation. The movie is so off the wall, that you can't help but like it. Recommended. - MERK
14 Reviews
Kinda funny and good-natured
bellino-angelo201418 October 2022
When the film begins a press conference is held by the Turkish government but some thieves use gas for stealing the Bizantine fire (the most valuable diamond that was stolen 7 centuries earlier from Costantinopoli). At the same time Gus Cardinale (Christopher Lambert) and Bruno Daley (Christopher Lloyd) are doing a safecracking job in a jewelry where the robbers took a suitcase with the ruby in it (unknown to Gus and Bruno). The morning after there is the breaking news of the ruby, and an operation led by Francis Mahoney (J T Walsh) begins finding of course Gus as a suspect. With some help by Bruno's daughter who is about to become his wife, Gus will do his best to make the ruby return to the turks and make the real robbers arrested.
I was afraid to see WHY ME because it has only 11 reviews to date and on Youtube was uploaded by an user who mostly uploads very hard to find movies, but I have to say that I was quite surprised. Christopher Lambert (who is mostly known for HIGHLANDER and MORTAL KOMBAT) is surprisingly good in this considering it's a comedy while Christopher Lloyd is in his natural element. J T Walsh was also a surprise because he has mostly appeared in thrillers and drama, but here he was very funny as well. There were some hit and miss moments, and some very funny.
Overall a comedy much better than its reputation might suggest, and it's good for killing an hour and a half without thinking too much.
FYI... in the scene where Lambert makes the birds enter the bank from the window the security guards watch the ending of the first HALLOWEEN on TV. I say this because the day before I saw HALLOWEEN ENDS (the final chapter of the franchise after 44 years) in the movie theater. Perfect timing, don't you think?
I was afraid to see WHY ME because it has only 11 reviews to date and on Youtube was uploaded by an user who mostly uploads very hard to find movies, but I have to say that I was quite surprised. Christopher Lambert (who is mostly known for HIGHLANDER and MORTAL KOMBAT) is surprisingly good in this considering it's a comedy while Christopher Lloyd is in his natural element. J T Walsh was also a surprise because he has mostly appeared in thrillers and drama, but here he was very funny as well. There were some hit and miss moments, and some very funny.
Overall a comedy much better than its reputation might suggest, and it's good for killing an hour and a half without thinking too much.
FYI... in the scene where Lambert makes the birds enter the bank from the window the security guards watch the ending of the first HALLOWEEN on TV. I say this because the day before I saw HALLOWEEN ENDS (the final chapter of the franchise after 44 years) in the movie theater. Perfect timing, don't you think?
a fun film with lloyd and lambert.
secrective15 September 2023
Ok its stupid. We know its stupid. But its not stupid stupid but funny stupid. Very similar to Into the Night (1985)! Someone stole some diamonds and now everyone is chasing around.
Sure theres some plot holes and nonsensical stuff but wow. All the actors give it their all. Bananas. Bonkers. Ok its a bit silly. But it works if you are in the mood for a dumb movie. Turn your brain off kind of deal.
Film kind of reminds me of hudson hawk. Its just so completely confusing and you wonder how it got made. Racism? Stereotyping? You bet! But what does it all mean?
Lloyd is great, lambert is great. Give it a watch but know what you are getting into before hand!
Sure theres some plot holes and nonsensical stuff but wow. All the actors give it their all. Bananas. Bonkers. Ok its a bit silly. But it works if you are in the mood for a dumb movie. Turn your brain off kind of deal.
Film kind of reminds me of hudson hawk. Its just so completely confusing and you wonder how it got made. Racism? Stereotyping? You bet! But what does it all mean?
Lloyd is great, lambert is great. Give it a watch but know what you are getting into before hand!
A little known gem!
Ciderborg27 August 2002
This film is funny. That's the first thing you need to know. The second thing is why? Take two safe crackers, a ruby, an incompetent Armenian, a hard boiled police chief, a corrupt diplomat and a host of stoopid hoods, give 'em all a sparklingly witty script and a spaghetti plot, and watch them sort it all out. Lambert and Lloyd are a great comic duo and the late J T Walsh is a joy to watch as he gets madder and madder. This is not a film that'll change your life but it will make you laugh for an hour and a half and the way the world is right now, there are few things more valuable than light relief. With memorable one liners and side splitting sequences, this is a gem that too few people know about. It's not even IN Leonard Maltin's 2002 movie guide. Do yourself a favour and rent it if you get the chance. You'll love it.
Pretty Funny
no-skyline10 February 2006
Christopher Lambert (Highlander) and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) star in this little known comedy as Gus and Bruno two dim witted jewelry thief's who steal the wrong diamond. A comedy of errors and farce ensues as three rival groups battle for the stone.
It's gentle comedy that has the occasional chuckle and is well worth a watch as the leads have a good chemistry and Christopher Lloyd gives a very good performance as the quirky older crook. Christopher Lambert shows there is more to him than Highlander and it's a shame he hasn't done more comedies. I enjoyed the film overall but it never rises above average, some of the jokes just aren't funny. But the end set up and payoff makes it worth a look.
7/10 - Enjoyable but forgettable.
It's gentle comedy that has the occasional chuckle and is well worth a watch as the leads have a good chemistry and Christopher Lloyd gives a very good performance as the quirky older crook. Christopher Lambert shows there is more to him than Highlander and it's a shame he hasn't done more comedies. I enjoyed the film overall but it never rises above average, some of the jokes just aren't funny. But the end set up and payoff makes it worth a look.
7/10 - Enjoyable but forgettable.
The name of this movie is what you feel while watching it
jellopuke24 December 2020
This is a bad movie. It's painfully unfunny (although there are maybe 3 genuine chuckles) and Lloyd is wasted. Lambert as a romantic lead is an awful choice and the plot is too cute for its own good. The ending is decent, but it's a slog to get there.
A buddy film with absolutely zero chemistry between the two leads.
planktonrules9 August 2021
Before you read the review, I have a confession. This film was so bad I turned it off after a while. However, some time later, my friend Angelo convinced me to try actually finishing the film...a difficult task indeed!!
The casting in this film is strange. Christopher Lambert and Christopher Lloyd are Gus and Bruno, two professional but lovable thieves. The pair have absolutely no chemistry together and neither is particularly likable or funny in this buddy comedy.
The story begins with a press conference in which the US government is giving the Turkish government back a precious Byzantine jewel. Ridiculously, during this conference the jewel is stolen from that very room....something utterly impossible and stupid.
Soon after this, Gus and Bruno are committing another safe job and end up accidentally getting not only a lot of diamonds but the jewel that everyone is searching for since it was stolen. What follows is pretty boring.....no...VERY boring. Much of this is because EVERYONE in the film is stupid...to the point where they seem more like cartoon characters than actual people. The cops are dumb, the criminals are dumb and everyone else....dumb as well! The leading man is dumb....just not quite as dumb as the rest! The acting didn't help any, but the biggest problem was the writing.
To say the film isn't funny at all is pretty much on point. The two leads are terrible in the film and the direction is, at best, lackluster. The script often makes no sense (such as the scene where the cops start using an axe on Ralph's door) and I found myself wondering WHY...why am I torturing myself by continuing to see this? My wife encouraged me to bail, as she said she hated every minute of the movie. And, the second time, things didn't really improve.
My score of 3 is pretty generous, as it implies there is SOMETHING good about the film...and it took me a while to figure out what that was. So what is good about the movie? Well, it doesn't have a sequel!
By the way, if you are a masochist and want to see the film, I found two copies on YouTube. One, inexplicably, has a beeping sound throughout the film....the other is pristine. It doesn't really matter which one you watch....you'll likely be tormented either way.
The casting in this film is strange. Christopher Lambert and Christopher Lloyd are Gus and Bruno, two professional but lovable thieves. The pair have absolutely no chemistry together and neither is particularly likable or funny in this buddy comedy.
The story begins with a press conference in which the US government is giving the Turkish government back a precious Byzantine jewel. Ridiculously, during this conference the jewel is stolen from that very room....something utterly impossible and stupid.
Soon after this, Gus and Bruno are committing another safe job and end up accidentally getting not only a lot of diamonds but the jewel that everyone is searching for since it was stolen. What follows is pretty boring.....no...VERY boring. Much of this is because EVERYONE in the film is stupid...to the point where they seem more like cartoon characters than actual people. The cops are dumb, the criminals are dumb and everyone else....dumb as well! The leading man is dumb....just not quite as dumb as the rest! The acting didn't help any, but the biggest problem was the writing.
To say the film isn't funny at all is pretty much on point. The two leads are terrible in the film and the direction is, at best, lackluster. The script often makes no sense (such as the scene where the cops start using an axe on Ralph's door) and I found myself wondering WHY...why am I torturing myself by continuing to see this? My wife encouraged me to bail, as she said she hated every minute of the movie. And, the second time, things didn't really improve.
My score of 3 is pretty generous, as it implies there is SOMETHING good about the film...and it took me a while to figure out what that was. So what is good about the movie? Well, it doesn't have a sequel!
By the way, if you are a masochist and want to see the film, I found two copies on YouTube. One, inexplicably, has a beeping sound throughout the film....the other is pristine. It doesn't really matter which one you watch....you'll likely be tormented either way.
Cheap comedy
Maziun16 November 2013
There is one good joke with chainsaw here. Every other joke here is completely lame. "Why me" is a cheap comedy full of forced humor and one that pretends to have some charm. The story is something that would fit in one of the "Police academy" sequels.
The good thing about this movie is nice music and the fact it's rather short . "WM" is obviously a farce and not a funny one. The dialogues pretend to be clever and the twists aren't surprising. You can see the punchline of most jokes long before it comes. It's just a cheap manufactured generic comedy from Hollywood for very unambitious audience.
Christopher Lambert ("The Highlander") isn't too good actor , but he's watchable here . Christopher Lloyd ("Back to the future") is always fun, even if the movie stinks like this one. J.T.Walsh is nice as the asshole commissioner.
If you're looking for good action or heist comedy go somewhere else . I give it 1/10.
The good thing about this movie is nice music and the fact it's rather short . "WM" is obviously a farce and not a funny one. The dialogues pretend to be clever and the twists aren't surprising. You can see the punchline of most jokes long before it comes. It's just a cheap manufactured generic comedy from Hollywood for very unambitious audience.
Christopher Lambert ("The Highlander") isn't too good actor , but he's watchable here . Christopher Lloyd ("Back to the future") is always fun, even if the movie stinks like this one. J.T.Walsh is nice as the asshole commissioner.
If you're looking for good action or heist comedy go somewhere else . I give it 1/10.
This movie ROCKS
MacLeod-414 December 1998
This is possibly the funniest movie of all time. I was lucky enough to find this movie in the bargain bin of a local department store, and, being a Christopher Lambert fan, bought it. When I watched it, I died laughing. This takes the cake of every other movie of his. He should do more comedies. This movie is great.
Watch the movie before reading the reviews!!
rmackenzien25 August 2019
This is a Romantic comedy, I believe it is not supposed to be as realistic as people are hoping it to be.
I had great laughs with this movie, and considering I watched it at midnight and managed to laugh and not fall asleep, I should say this movie is, at least in my opinion, funny!
And another thing, The Laird character is what most people would wish for, someone who is unique and peculiar but you know for sure they are head over heels for you. In one word, although not realistic, if I should be blessed as to find a partner with laird-like devoted qualities... I would definitely tie the knot
This is just my opinion, it's not meant to be universal 😉
entertaining, if you don't have anything to do
xtopperx19 July 2004
I saw this movie while I was working at a Post Production studio in Hollywood, back in 1990. I was 19 and maybe somewhat more sympathetic back then.
Post Production can get boring at times, and a lot of very dull and incompetent programming gets produced and sent through Post Houses, like the one I worked at. But this movie, even being a solid "B" flick: starts, gets moving, does it's best with what it has, and wraps up decently (as far as stories go).
From what I remember, this movie doesn't pretend to be anything but entertaining; and while other movies do that better than this one, this is a movie that can entertain you if your bored and can watch a jewel thief movie without being critical about clichés. You can tell that the producers knew how much they could get from this budget and story and I don't think this crew could've done better. Chris Lambert, Chris Lloyd, and JT Walsh... good combo, and I think they pull it off as best it could be done.
Post Production can get boring at times, and a lot of very dull and incompetent programming gets produced and sent through Post Houses, like the one I worked at. But this movie, even being a solid "B" flick: starts, gets moving, does it's best with what it has, and wraps up decently (as far as stories go).
From what I remember, this movie doesn't pretend to be anything but entertaining; and while other movies do that better than this one, this is a movie that can entertain you if your bored and can watch a jewel thief movie without being critical about clichés. You can tell that the producers knew how much they could get from this budget and story and I don't think this crew could've done better. Chris Lambert, Chris Lloyd, and JT Walsh... good combo, and I think they pull it off as best it could be done.
Quite enjoyable
Anonymous-108 June 2000
"Why Me?" isn't a monumental achievement in film history, but its sure worth the rental. Like "The Drew Carey Show", it provides a lot of jokes from insults. Well, this derives a lot of them from the wonderfully bitter J.T. Walsh, who is great in this movie, as he is in most of his. He curses endly. In one scene, his assistant tells him to watch his language in his statement, that it might be on the six o'clock news, to which he replies "I don't give a f--k if they put it on the sides of milk cartons". Because of the fact that it doesn't carry a lot of weight, it works well as a lighthearted piece, accompanied by the bouncy-friendly score in it. Lambert is also a joy. A friend called it a "sweet" film, and it is. The bad people aren't really that bad. Quite goofy fun. Rent it if you get the chance.
Caper comedy redux
lor_7 May 2023
My review was written in July 1989 after watching the movie at a TImes Square screening room. (NOTE: many months passed after this advance screening before the film was released in Paris and then In the U. S.).
Caper comedy "Why Me?" is a frantic but only intermittently funny U. S. vehicle for French star Christophe Lambert. Gallic reaction should be brisk, but pic shapes as a weak entry for American audiences.
Film just opened in Paris and is due out May 4 in the U. S. Pic is a throwback to '60s-style films -not surprising since it's based on a followup novel to Donald Westlake's "The Hot Rock", which spawned the 1972 Fox film and was followed up in '74 by "Bank Shot".
With aid of rewrite, Lambert follows in the footsteps of previous pics' Robert Redford and George C. Scott as the charming con man who's an expert safecracker. Teamed with sidekick Bruno (Christopher Lloyd in a variety of wacky costumes) and girlfriend June (Kim Greist), he steals the cursed ruby, the Byzantine Fire. This sets up a film-long chase around Los Angeles for the stone, wanted by the police, other criminals, the Turkish government and a nutty gang of Armenian terrorists.
Helmer Gene Quintano has fun with the knockabout chases and slapstick (often using distorting camera angles) but this material is old hat. "A Fish Called Wanda" proved the traditional caper film isn't dead, but "Why Me?" lacks its inspired casting and hilarious bits.
Lambert isn't funny in the lead role, though his scary stunt work dangling from a skyscraper in the finale is impressive (and, again, well-suited to French audiences, being in a Jean-Paul Belmondo mold). Rest of the cast plays it overly cutesy, except for J. T. Walsh who's effective as the mean police chief.
Tech credits are first-rate, with a bouncy score by Basil Poledouris.
Caper comedy "Why Me?" is a frantic but only intermittently funny U. S. vehicle for French star Christophe Lambert. Gallic reaction should be brisk, but pic shapes as a weak entry for American audiences.
Film just opened in Paris and is due out May 4 in the U. S. Pic is a throwback to '60s-style films -not surprising since it's based on a followup novel to Donald Westlake's "The Hot Rock", which spawned the 1972 Fox film and was followed up in '74 by "Bank Shot".
With aid of rewrite, Lambert follows in the footsteps of previous pics' Robert Redford and George C. Scott as the charming con man who's an expert safecracker. Teamed with sidekick Bruno (Christopher Lloyd in a variety of wacky costumes) and girlfriend June (Kim Greist), he steals the cursed ruby, the Byzantine Fire. This sets up a film-long chase around Los Angeles for the stone, wanted by the police, other criminals, the Turkish government and a nutty gang of Armenian terrorists.
Helmer Gene Quintano has fun with the knockabout chases and slapstick (often using distorting camera angles) but this material is old hat. "A Fish Called Wanda" proved the traditional caper film isn't dead, but "Why Me?" lacks its inspired casting and hilarious bits.
Lambert isn't funny in the lead role, though his scary stunt work dangling from a skyscraper in the finale is impressive (and, again, well-suited to French audiences, being in a Jean-Paul Belmondo mold). Rest of the cast plays it overly cutesy, except for J. T. Walsh who's effective as the mean police chief.
Tech credits are first-rate, with a bouncy score by Basil Poledouris.
I've seen worse Lambert films...
Leigh L.12 May 1999
Well, I've seen Adrenaline, anyway. And... no, that's about it.
Why Me? sort of falls between two stools: it's not shoulder-dislocatingly funny either by intention or by good old-fashioned ineptitude, which makes watching it a bit of a pointless exercise. The old jewel-thieves-in-over-their-heads caper has been done to death, and the combination of Christophers Lambert and Lloyd provides the film with a distinct reek of B-list. Neither are wacky enough to be engaging for very long: Lloyd's clearly only there for the money, and you get the impression that Lambert's actually toning down his natural dementia. He's one of the most charismatic actors around, but it's just not given the chance to shine through here. (Only one "heh heh heh" as well. Or perhaps there were more during the times I fell asleep.)
So then, Why Me?: brief moments of promise amidst the sadly overwhelming boredom and confusion. No wonder nobody's ever heard of it.
Why Me? sort of falls between two stools: it's not shoulder-dislocatingly funny either by intention or by good old-fashioned ineptitude, which makes watching it a bit of a pointless exercise. The old jewel-thieves-in-over-their-heads caper has been done to death, and the combination of Christophers Lambert and Lloyd provides the film with a distinct reek of B-list. Neither are wacky enough to be engaging for very long: Lloyd's clearly only there for the money, and you get the impression that Lambert's actually toning down his natural dementia. He's one of the most charismatic actors around, but it's just not given the chance to shine through here. (Only one "heh heh heh" as well. Or perhaps there were more during the times I fell asleep.)
So then, Why Me?: brief moments of promise amidst the sadly overwhelming boredom and confusion. No wonder nobody's ever heard of it.
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