Penn & Teller Get Killed
Penn & Teller Get Killed
R | 22 September 1989 (USA)
Penn & Teller Get Killed Trailers

The "bad boys of magic" go over the edge in this mind-blowing, role-switching comedy murder mystery set in the dizzying world of Atlantic City casinos. In a TV interview, Penn mentions his idea of a fun practical joke: "I wish someone were trying to kill me. It would give focus to my life, excitement. I'd be like James Bond." Twenty million people hear him. One decides to deliver a punchline he'll never forget. Made by people who thought Psycho was a comedy, Penn & Teller Get Killed (they also wrote the piece) features Caitlin Clarke as the femme fatale and David Patrick Kelly as the Edgar Allan Poe-esque nutcase with a new mission. Arthur Penn, known for hip masterpieces like Bonnie and Clyde, Alice's Restaurant and Little Big Man, directs with roller-coaster pacing and subversive intelligence.

Reviews
Jack Donnelly

as a previous review already said about this film, if you like Penn and Teller's scthick then you'll love this film. It's bizarre, it's hilarious and most of all its one of the best bits of black comedy that's ever been committed to celluloid. The ending is so jarring you'd thunk you watched an episode of Chris Morris's Jam (an early 00's sketch show that 2 parts psychological horror and 1 part comedy) It's a laugh riot for Penn and Teller fans but for anyone else it might not make much sense. It is a hilarious film for the right mind. and if you want a break from the rest of the mediocre 80's films like mannequin, roadhouse (I do actually like roadhouse) and other such fare then it is a refreshing take in my opinion.

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antialiasis

I enjoyed Penn & Teller Get Killed. In fact, I loved it. However, I am also very aware that it takes a certain type of person to be able to appreciate it.The rather disjointed feel of much of it may turn you off. The scenes that don't seem to serve much of a purpose may turn you off. The anticlimax may turn you off. The dragged-out ending, or the weird pacing in general, may turn you off. The bizarre mix of seriousness and silliness may turn you off. The slightly hard-to-follow plot may turn you off. And if you're not a fan of black comedy, suffice it to say this movie is very unlikely to change your mind.But if you do love black comedy, if you enjoy a movie that delights in mixing hilarity with actual horror (as opposed to one where events that would be horrifying are made not so with humour), if you don't think those quirks I mentioned above will ruin your ability to enjoy it, then you should definitely give it a chance. You may just love it as much as I did.

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Elwood_Cooper

RANDOM STUFF IS THE BEST! Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I can continue. I've recently become attached to Penn & Teller and just got this movie which I had been waiting for for the past 2 weeks. I love Penn & Teller! I've seen their Magic and Mystery Tour, I own Bullsh*t! on DVD and any other way of observing them I've accomplished. This movie I couldn't wait to see because I knew it would be funny! And it was! Not only is the whole movie just a bunch of practical jokes, it's plain random! Random is good! When the movie was coming to a close and the punchline to the entire practical joke in the movie set in, I realized it was very much something that would've come from the mind of Andy Kaufman himself! That's was pure genius! If you ever get the chance to see this movie, watch it and you'll find it funny if you like random practical jokes! ALSO there is a bonus! You get to hear Teller speak! Oh yes! It's great, because you'll just think "boy does he sound weird!" but that's only because you've never heard it before- Thanks to the Egypt episode of the Magic and Mystery tour I had already heard it- So even just watch it to hear Teller's voice- It'll be great either way!

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Rosabel

A movie no Penn & Teller fan would dream of being without. The first time I watched it, I was perplexed by the oddball atmosphere - this movie just doesn't play like a typical movie. Subsequent viewings have increased my fondness for it, though, and I keep finding more and more humour in it. So much of the humour comes from realizing that the jokes are not just inserted to make us laugh, but are the natural product of a very bizarre world that these two performers are inhabiting all the time. As Teller in a park catches pigeons with his bare hands, Penn says admiringly, "You're getting really good at that. You don't even hurt them anymore." Anymore? What has been going on between Teller and the pigeons all these years? The film is full of these little glimpses into a very weird world.

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