Summaries

Arlo accepts what seems to him to be a dream promotion to Idaho. He soon discovers, however, that moving has its own share of problems.

Meet Arlo Pear! He's a family man with a loving wife, a rebellious daughter, twin sons, and a half-dead dog, he's also got a nice job with the city in New Jersey. He's a mass transit engineer. But one day Arlo is fired so he must try to get another job. He finds a similar one to his old one, except it's in Boise, Idaho. Sounds good to Arlo, so he can finally get away from his insane neighbor who has a lawn mower the size of Pennsylvania. Only problem, how to break it to the family? The decision is soon made: they're moving. Now they've got to sell their house which has hilarious results, so now they need to get movers. Two former cons now movers show up with King Kong Bundy. Now, they gotta find a new house in Idaho. They soon find their dream house, so they return to New Jersey and head off to Boise. Arlo hires a man (Dana Carvey) to drive his SAAB to Idaho, not knowing he's a man of eight personalities. And if that isn't bad enough, their new house is not what they expected, and their neighbor in New Jeresey's twin brother lives next door and he's got a gigantic mower also. And as if things couldn't get any worse, they do. Arlo loses his new job and the movers never showed up. So now it's time for Arlo to kick some serious A$$!—Dylan Self <[email protected]>

Details

Keywords
  • vietnam war veteran
  • scene during opening credits
  • identical twins
  • yard sale
  • fired
Genres
  • Comedy
Release date Mar 3, 1988
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) R
Countries of origin United States
Language English
Filming locations Boise, Idaho, USA
Production companies Warner Bros. Brooksfilms

Box office

Gross US & Canada $10815378
Opening weekend US & Canada $4022782
Gross worldwide $10815378

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 29m
Color Color
Sound mix Dolby Stereo
Aspect ratio 1.85 : 1

Synopsis

In New Jersey, mass transportation engineer Arlo Pear loses his job after an argument with his boss. When he interviews for a position with another engineering firm, G.T.I. Transits, personnel officer Gary Marcus offers him the opportunity to become the head of Research and Development for a new monorail project in Boise, Idaho. Arlo announces the good news to his wife Monica, teenage daughter Casey, and twin sons Marshall and Randy, but none of them want to move to Boise. However, Arlo convinces Monica that if they move, they will no longer live next-door to their terrifying neighbor, Frank Crawford and his extreme lawnmower tractor. Arlo and Monica put their house on the market, but Casey unsuccessfully tries many times to sabotage the sale because she does not want to leave her new boyfriend, Kevin. After the house is sold, Arlo and Monica travel to Boise to find a house. Arriving at the home of the Cadills, Arlo and Monica think the place is perfect, but, Mr. Cadill informs them he will be taking the windows, doors, and swimming pool with him. Assuming Cadill is joking, Arlo and Monica purchase the property and return to New Jersey.

In search of a moving company, Arlo interviews movers Edwards and Perry, but they appear to be such suspicious characters that he hires another moving company instead. Arlo also hires a young man named Brad Williams to drive his prized Saab sports car to Boise. Later, Arlo receives a telephone call from their neighbors, the Butterworths, that Casey is getting married to avoid moving. Thinking she is marrying Kevin, Arlo and Monica are shocked to find Casey at the chapel with Rudy, a man she met at the mall. To stop the marriage, they agree to let Casey live with the Butterworths until she finishes her senior year of high school. On moving day, Arlo is surprised when the truck arrives with Edwards and Perry, newly hired by the moving company. As Edwards and Perry and their large associate, Gorgo, pack the truck, Brad Williams leaves with Arlo's car. Saying goodbye to Casey and the Butterworths, the Pears and their dog, Flipper, leave for Boise. At a diner, the twins show Arlo a psychology magazine with an article on the multiple personality disorder, featuring Brad, who has eight separate personalities, on the cover. Arriving at the new house, Arlo finds the house stripped bare. After threatening Mr. Cadill to return everything, Arlo receives a telephone call from Edwards, stating the he and the movers took a detour to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.

In the morning, the roar of a lawnmower tractor awakens Arlo. Looking outside, he realizes his new neighbor is Frank Crawford's twin brother, Cornell. When Brad arrives at the house with Arlo's car, it has been stripped and retrofitted for combat. On Arlo's first day at work, Marcus greets him with the news that the monorail project has been canceled because of high costs. Arlo insists that he can make the project work, but Marcus disagrees and lets him go. Frustrated by misfortunes, Arlo buys firearms, locates the moving van, and commandeers it from Edwards, Perry and Gorgo. He drives the truck to Boise and orders the movers to unload the family's belongings. Arlo is surprised to see that Casey, having missed her family, has joined them. Marcus arrives at the house and rehires Arlo to rejuvenate the monorail project. Hearing the roar of Cornell Crawford's lawnmower tractor, Arlo demands he use a regular lawn mower, and when Cornell refuses, Flipper growls menacingly until he agrees to Arlo's request. With his family intact again, Arlo is content in his new home.

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