Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Throw Momma from the Train’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Tough times teach us a lot about ourselves. They help us understand how much stress and pain we can bear before we buckle, and well...that's not exactly a bad thing. By being tested, by learning our limits, eventually we are forced to grow and become better people. But like anything, there is a dark side to tough times, because they also leave us at our weakest and most vulnerable, which allows for the darkest parts of our psyche to come bubbling to the surface.

It is in those moments, where the pain is fresh and raw that we tend to say and do things we wouldn't normally do out of pain and out of anger, and it is during this time that we may or may not do something that we regret...it all just depends on how low we let our spirits sink and it is that part of tough times that was explored in depth in the 1987 black comedy,Throw Momma from the Train.

Owen and Larry have reached a low point in their lives, because neither of them can seem to escape the pain that the most important women in their lives have caused them. Larry for example, is haunted by the fact that his ex-wife stole his idea for a best-selling novel, leaving him with writer's block and Owen, who is well into middle age, is still living at home with his overbearing mother, and he is so miserable and anxious to be free of her madness, he's actually given thought to murdering her. But alas, Owen wouldn't know where to begin to conduct such an act without getting caught but as fate would have it, he and Larry have crossed paths and a rant from Larry about wishing that his ex-wife was dead gives the two men some common ground, and with an accidental push from Larry...Owen may have figured how they can help one another out, by ending the life of the other's man problem...allowing for them to be free of their anguish at long last...

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More than likely, that summary doesn't even do the plot of this film justice simply because...it is an outright brilliant and fascinating comedy that instantly draws you in because let's be honest...this is not the kind of story you see in film on a regular basis. Sure people have been curious about murder in film, but those folks are usually portrayed as villains through and through, with true malice in their heart but here...well Owen and Larry consider murder because they truly feel as though they have no other recourse and it's stunning to see two characters reach that kind of point in their lives.

But while the subject matter should drag you down and be as dreary as possible, I did make mention of the fact that this is a black comedy and despite those darker elements, holy hell is this one funny film, and the comedy in this motion picture works for one reason and one reason alone...the casting. Danny DeVito (Owen) and Billy Crystal (Larry) are utterly brilliant on screen together and the laughs arrive at just the right time to lighten the mood and despite the dreary setup, the film does have at its core a strong and positive message, that regardless of how bad things get...sometimes we have to find a way to move forward in life, otherwise we will succumb to the darkest parts of our soul and that message is a wonderful way to bookend this magnificent story.

Either way, this is in many ways a forgotten gem. I remember seeing it on home video back in the late 80's when this film was first released on VHS and unfortunately did not catch it again until the other day on cable and well...I wish I had rediscovered it sooner. You have to love a film that works to truly capture the human experience and our lowest points and the struggles we go through when we hit rock bottom (minus the whole murder thing) and it's a shame they don't make films like this anymore because this one definitely leaves you thinking and it's one that I likely need to add to my collection and if by chance you haven't seen it recently or at all, I strongly suggest you seek this one out to enjoy an incredibly thoughtful and hilarious story that will completely and utterly take you by surprise.

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