“Yo Sanka. Ya dead?” “Yeah, mon.” This exchange between Sanka and Derice becomes one of the running gags throughout the movie, serving as a joint catchphrase signifying the characters’ accident-prone behavior as well as their enduring friendship (more on that later). Above all, it’s just another example of the odd and amusing banter between these young Jamaicans. This is something that persists through the entire movie, giving it a unique character in itself, which I didn’t appreciate quite as much as a kid. The rhythm to the lines add a little extra humor to each one.
Yes, it can be corny at times, and yes, John Candy is…John Candy. But for all the out of style jokes that maybe were never in style even in the 1990s, there are a lot of moments that are sure to at least crack a smile on most any grizzled old face. John Candy’s reaction to the recruitment video he shows that ends up depicting dozens of bobsled crashes is probably his highlight of the movie. As a western Canada transplant, seeing a cheerful Jamaican friend trying his darn-tootin’est to fit in to the line dancing at the bar as Sanka does is priceless. He even tries to take back the term “yippee-ki-yay” from Bruce Willis but perhaps never quite made for lasting success. As a comedy and a feel-good movie, even if it comes off as rather innocent to us now, Cool Runnings remains as fun as it ever was.
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Published: Aug 20, 2013 03:41 pm