FlashCallahan Carl and James are two unambitious garbage men. Carl has a telescope with which he observes his neighbours. One evening he sees a man giving his girlfriend a hard time. As she leaves he shoots the man with a pellet gun. Hiding, he and James miss two men strangling the man and leaving with the body. When he appears in a can on their route they are afraid and hide the body, fearing that they may be implicated in the death. Trying to crack the case, they spy on the woman, join up with a crazed Vietnam vet, kidnap a pizza man and help to protect the environment. After all, it's the nineties.When global warming was rife, and the world was going to end, or we would have to have an atmosphere like Highlander 2, Estevez decided to make a comedy, with a hint of global awareness.It's one of those random weird comedies that were released around this time, Weekend At Bernies springs to mind, and you know that you shouldn't enjoy it, but you do, because the film makers brainwash you.The two leads have great chemistry, well they should after all. The music in the film is popular music of that time or very recent, so this gives you a comfort zone.And then it's sunny all the time, Women are beautiful, and garbage men can afford to stay in nice apartments and drink in the afternoon, all in the world is good.Add all theses ingredients with some bad guys you know are going to lose, and the film is a safe bet to entertain, not amaze, but entertain.And it does, it never out stays its welcome,a nd the humour never gets too immature.It won't be on anyones favourite list, but when it crops up on TV, I bet a few people will be transmitted back to the early nineties, with fond memories.

Spikeopath Men at Work is written and directed by Emilio Estevez, who also co-stars with brother Charlie Sheen, Keith David, Leslie Hope, Dean Cameron and John Getz. Music is by Stewart Copeland and photography out on locations that include beaches at Redondo and Hermosa, is by Tim Suhrstedt. Plot finds Estevez (James) and Sheen (Carl) as two carefree garbage collectors who find a dead body in a barrel during their rounds. Trouble is, is that the dead guy is the man Sheen shot with his pellet gun the previous evening. Thinking they might be responsible for his death, and prompted by their newly acquired chaperon, cop hating Louis Fedders (David), they unwisely decide not to call in the cops. So with an unhinged Vietnam War vet and a dead body on their hands, Carl and James are in big trouble.Undemanding picture that's more enjoyable if you happen to be a fan of either Sheen or Estevez, Men at Work often struggles for laughs but is intermittently lit up by the odd humorous moment that comes with a side order of cool. There's a little drama in the mix, and even a delicate hint of social commentary via the illegal toxic waste dumping core that the frivolity is wrapped around. But really this is all about the two Brat Packers running free and Keith David superbly stealing the movie from the both of them. When the "we got a dead body to keep from the cops" comedy runs out of steam, and it does a little too early in the piece, it's left to David to bring the laughs with his cop hating rants and coiled spring like intensity ready to unleash on anyone who gets in the way or dares to eat his fries. Hope is amiable and pretty, though she only serves as a love interest for Sheen, while Getz isn't in it much and the two hit men on the boys tail don't bring anything new to that well trodden comedy table.When it hits its comedy stride, the funny sequences that drop in are just that, funny (golf clap, the nasty, human waste exploding balloons, Keith David), but these moments only serve to highlight the scripts shortcomings elsewhere. 6/10

oneguyrambling Another underrated gem. Men at Work is unfairly thrown into the "not quite cracking it" bin at the video shop along with the countless thousands of crappy comedies that are released annually and fail to find an audience.OK if you've seen it you are probably rolling your eyes now, and I can see that.So why do I love this movie then? You've got me, I just do. It must have been the perfect film for me at that time, because I loved it when I watched it 20 odd years or so ago and I love it now, even though I know almost every line well before they are said.The plot for what it is worth. 2 garbagemen come across a dead body in their daily pick up. They incorrectly assume that they are somehow involved (not really a long story but not important here), and spend the rest of the film dealing with the consequences and trying to avoid the attention of those really responsible.James (Emilio Estevez) and Carl (Charlie Sheen) are the two "Working Men", they aresurfin', drinkin', loafin' dudes with dreams of owning a surf shop and no everyday aspirations greater than minimising work and pissing off the other garbos and local cops.Into their lackadaisical existence comes Louis (Keith David), an combat vet assigned to make sure Carl and James are good boys on the job, much to their disgust. Keith David steals the movie for mine, his bizarre rants and resentment of all authority causes him to act in generally insane ways and to jump to random conclusion with no basis in logic, he even gets away with an early Weekend at Bernie's moment and makes it funny.As the movie rolls along a love interest and the pizzaman get involved, the real killers close in and the boys discover the full scope of what faces them. Being a lightweight comedy the characters coincidentally and conveniently keep running into each other, kinda like Crash a few years ago but with laughs and less clumsiness. (I still hate Crash.) This is at times cheesy, always likable and totally unassuming fare that was definitely not made with awards consideration in mind. To explain the jokes without transcribing them is pointless, but I find that more than most hit the mark and I would rather watch this 27 more times than have to put up with another cookie cutter Will Ferrell or Rob Schneider yawnfest.And it'll cost you a buck to rent for a week if you are lucky enough to find it. What's the worst that could happen? Final Rating – 8 / 10. If you liked this review (or even if you didn't) check out oneguyrambling.com

tenthousandtattoos A guilty pleasure if ever there was one, Men at Work sees Carl (Charlie Sheen) and James (Emilio Estevez) as two no hoper surfers/garbage men who pipe dream about opening their own surf shop. Carl has a slightly disturbed habit of spying on his neighbors with binoculars and "seriously aggravating situations without changing the course of history" by occasionally shooting them with a pellet gun.After an evening of beer and Trivial Pursuit, Carl and James witness City Councilman Jack Berger (Darrell Larson) seemingly assaulting his campaign manager Susan Wilkins (Leslie Hope) in her apartment across the street. As she runs out Carl shoots Berger with the pellet gun. He and James miss two men then strangle Berger and leave with his body. The following day they happen across Berger's discarded corpse on their garbage route, and, fearing they may be implicated in the murder, hide the body. Madcap antics ensure as they try to figure out who killed Berger and why.There's lots to like in this silly comedy, from the inept hit men whose car bears the licence plates: HIT MEN, to the recurring joke of the misplaced tape (work it, work it), and the great chemistry between the two leads. But the highlight is Keith David as Louis, Carl and James' boss' brother in law who rides along with them in the garbage truck as an observer (as they are known troublemakers and on probation at work) and becomes mixed up in the movie's ensuing chaos. David is perfect as the unhinged Vietnam veteran, and from the sight gag of him doodling a helicopter firing missiles at innocent families on a boardwalk, to the infamous "another man's fries" line, to the hilarious kidnapping of the pizza boy "he was provokin me!" the character is a constant source of laughs.Leave your brain at the door and enjoy.