One of the most underappreciated comedies of the 1980s, Johnny Dangerously seems to have slipped under the radar of most of the movie-watching public. But this is a true gem of a comedy created in the spirit of cult hits like Airplane and The Naked Gun. With an all-star cast and tons of hilarious scenes and one-liners, Johnny Dangerously is one of my all-time favorite comedy movies. Michael Keaton is in his prime in a comedic role (as was Tom Hanks before he moved on to more serious roles as well). Joe Piscopo also makes for one of his most memorable movie appearances, but the stealer of the show is little-known actor Richard Dimitri in his portrayal of Roman Moronie – that damn bastard can really act!

Set in the 1930s, Johnny Dangerously follows the life of Johnny Kelly (Michael Keaton), an honest, American boy who turns to crime to help pay his mother’s ever-increasing medical bills. When an enterprising young paperboy saves local gangster Jocko Dundee’s (Peter Boyle) ass, he gives him the nickname Johnny Dangerously and hires him to work as a messenger boy for his operation. An excellent actor in his own right (Honeymoon in Vegas and Everybody Loves Raymond), Boyle has some great lines, and right from the start, this movie is scene after scene of laughs…

As the years pass, Johnny works his way into the Dundee gang, which is waging a constant turf war with immigrant mobster Roman Moronie (Richard Dimitri). However, when Jocko is murdered, Johnny is appointed to take his place, leading his gang rival Danny Vermin (Joe Piscopo) to form his own gang in direct competition with Johnny. The situation is further complicated when Johnny’s little brother Tommy (Griffin Dunne) rises to the position of Attorney General and vows to take on mobsters like Johnny Dangerously. When Danny Vermin finds out that Johnny and Tommy are brothers, he uses the information to his own advantage, threatening to ruin Johnny and everything he wants…

With a brief appearance by Danny DeVito and Marliu Henner starring in a supporting role, Johnny Dangerously is packed with top-tier talent. Well written and downright funny, the film is another comedy classic from director Amy Heckerling (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, European Vacation, Clueless, and A Night At The Roxbury). The laughs are endless in Johnny Dangerously, which is filled with scenes like the one in which Michael Keaton gives his mob friends a pep talk about the need to compete against “low-cost, high-quality Japanese gangs” and the warning from Joe Piscopo not to hang him on a hook, because his “sister hung him on a hook once…Once!”

The key to Johnny Dangerously’s success is the performers and their ability to deliver the lines with absolute perfection. A less experienced cast in the realm of comedy would have made this movie a footnote in history. Instead, Johnny Dangerously turned out to be one of the best comedies of the decade. If you haven’t seen it (and a lot of people haven’t even heard of it), I highly recommend checking out Johnny Dangerously. It’s quite simply one of the funniest movies ever made, and definitely a must see…