Amoeba Music

You know how in old classic films or screwball comedies there is usually some sort of love triangle where a guy and a gal "meet cute" and go on some ridiculous adventure together, later to get married? Well, Homer and Eddie is sort of like that scenario, only fairly depressing and in no way romantic.

Homer (James Belushi) is a slightly mentally handicapped man who has lost a bit of sense and gained a fair amount of childlike ignorance after being hit in the head with a baseball during a game when he was a boy. In the beginning of the movie he prepares himself for a long journey, saying goodbye to his desolate neighborhood and a local stray before hitting the road. His goal is to see his sick father before he kicks the bucket, though the man and his entire family have pretty much abandoned him after the case of his retardation. While hitchhiking on the freeway, he gets his suitcase and cash stolen. With no means of lodging, he wanders into a garbage dump and falls asleep in the backseat of a seemingly empty car. But in the morning, he discovers that he's not alone as the driver, Eddie (Whoopi Goldberg), was asleep in the front. After being startled by the aloof and friendly stranger, she tries once to rob him, then oddly offers up help in a half-brained scheme to locate the men who stole the money that she somehow figures is now rightfully hers.

From the first glimpse of their interaction, we can conclude that Eddie is a bit on the wacky side, but also very lonely. She is also schizophrenic and can be seen diving into fits of rage and self-abuse that come off like seizures, possibly due to the brain tumor she has and the fact that her doctors have informed her that she has about a month to live. But an awkward and touching friendship blooms between the two, as Homer's helplessness and ignorance seem to grant her some sort of serenity, if not comic relief. Once the idea of finding the initial robbers becomes ridiculous even for Eddie, she then decides to drive him to where he needs to go.

But their journey is far from boring and certainly not your average road trip. Eddie has a knack for stealing license plates to hide her whereabouts from law enforcement, as well as robbing liquor stores for cash and candy with an unloaded gun. Unfortunately for them, the fun must end somewhere, and upon reaching their destination, a sudden and tragic change occurs leaving comedy at the door and convincing us here to cross-file the movie in Drama. Eddie starts seeing a strange, but highly symbolic character wandering around town and has a few run-ins with demons she thought were long gone. And as her reckless life becomes more and more risky, at the end, she realizes that the only homeless soul between the two of them is herself.

This is one of my favorite movies about opposites who attract, whether it be romantically or with friends. It keeps things interesting and allows actors to reflect off one another with ease. Whoopi Goldberg, better known for comedy and action, found a wonderful balance in her performance. The comedy, in my opinion, was her best; the drama, unlike anything I've ever seen. Her emotional involvement with the part is something to marvel at, as was Belushi's. Again, he didn't fall short of being hilarious, as with films he did before this, but he also was not a disappointment in terms of being convincing and portraying a character with a heart of gold. Definitely a very late '80s film that is not to be missed.