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Best Defense (1984)

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 4

No Score Yet...

Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 2.4/5
User Ratings: 5,424

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Movie Info

Dudley Moore and Eddie Murphy try but fail to bring this flat comedy to life, while the story itself is hampered by intercutting between the years of 1982 in Los Angeles (Moore) and 1984 in Kuwait (Murphy), with no explanation of how these two disparate people and locations are related. Wylie (Moore) is an inept engineer trying to perfect a gyro system for his employers who contract projects with the U.S. defense department. Wylie accidentally gets some blueprints for another type of gyro -- and

R, 1 hr. 34 min.

Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

Directed By: Willard Huyck

Written By: Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck

In Theaters: Jul 20, 1984 Wide

On DVD: Jan 27, 2004

Paramount Home Video

Best Defense Trailer & Photos

Cast

Dudley Moore
Wylie
Eddie Murphy
Landry
Kate Capshaw
Laura
Helen Shaver
Claire
George Dzundza
Loparino
David Rasche
Jeff Spy
Mark Arnott
Brank
Peter Michael Goetz
Joyner
Tom Noonan
Holtzman
Gabi Amrani
Old Villager
Gary Bayer
Lubell
Raye Birk
Sonny
Stephen Bradley
Deputy Director
Burton Collins
Cameraman
Paul Comi
Chief Agent
Ellen Crawford
Sonya
Rick Dees
Himself
Jake Dengel
Doorman
Gene Dynarski
Gil
Paul Eiding
Tourist
Deborah Fallender
Toni
Lorry Goldman
Rupp
Rozsika Halmos
Seamstress
Darryl Henriques
Col. Zayas
John Hostetter
Quirk
Jim Jansen
Lieutenant
Sanford Jensen
2nd Engineer
Christopher Maher
Sayyid
William Marquez
Padilla
David Paymer
Kurly
Joel Polis
1st Agent
Dennis Redfield
Specs
Eduardo Ricard
Garcia Vega
Ray Sharkey
Radio Man
Hugo L. Stanger
Blevin
Tyler Tyhurst
American Captain
Javier Grajeda
Freddie Gomez
Jerry Hyman
Col. Kleinman
Yulis Ruval
French Singer
Pamela Stonebrook
Singer
Renny Temple
Coffee Machine Mover
Gerald Jann
Engineer
Jennifer Wallace
Waitress
John A. Zee
Col. McGuinn
Matthew Laurance
Ali
Charles David Richards

Critic Reviews for Best Defense

All Critics (4) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (0) | Rotten (4)

It really isn't easy to make a movie as mind-bendingly bad as Best Defense. It takes hard work, a very great deal of money and people so talented that it matters when they fail with such utter lack of distinction.

October 30, 2007 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

A dismally unfunny shambles.

October 30, 2007 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Trevor Johnston

Time Out

Try as they may, neither the cast nor the filmmakers can cover up the fact that this movie, like Moore's prototype, is a dud.

October 30, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Aiming for the zaniness of Catch-22, this comedy misfires.

August 21, 2004 Full Review | Comment

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality and Practice

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Audience Reviews for Best Defense

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Disappointing, Best Defense, have a poor, but clever, screenplay, poor direction and nothing funny moments. A low point in Dudley Moore's career. It's a good film to know, but terrible to be one of your favorite. Rotten.

June 20, 2011

Lucas Martins

Super Reviewer

Let's face it, Dudley Moore's film career STANK! A film of two halves, with Moore and Murphy featuring in two different stories, neither of which are even vaguely funny.

January 1, 2007

xGary Xx

Super Reviewer

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