Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Most of the time, my taste in movies is fairly discriminating, I think. I make it a point to like the clever-funny comedies, and darkly comic dramas, that every card-carrying Hip Twentysomething should know. At the video store, I coolly survey the New Release shelves with a disinterested glance that says, “I spit upon this bourgeois eye candy! Bring me something artsy and independent!” At home, I conspicuously display my little Netflix pile with the most avant-garde title on top, the better to impress anyone who might happen by. But underneath all this hipster pretension, in a small and uncorrupted corner of my soul, lurks a secret fondness for some pretty cheesy movies from back in the day. And in the land of early-'90s comedies based on Saturday Night Live skits, “Wayne’s World” is king.

I’ll summarize the plot, though I can’t imagine there’s anyone left who’s really never heard of it: Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) is an affable, long-haired latter-day stoner, still living with his parents in his late twenties. The less said about his day jobs (which have resulted in “an extensive collection of name tags and hair nets”), the better – Wayne’s true passion is for his no-budget cable-access TV show, “Wayne’s World,” with his co-host Garth Algar (Dana Carvey), a high-strung, mop-topped nerd cringing behind Coke-bottle glasses. The dorky duo invite guests for the sole purpose of mocking them (“It sucks…and it blows!”), noodle on electric guitars, and speak an arcane language of sophomoric in-jokes. Though they enjoy a local cult following and the occasional VIP perk, Wayne and Garth know their show won’t ever pay the bills.

Or will it? A sleazy TV producer (Rob Lowe) happens to catch their late-night show, and smells potential. He arranges to meet them, and offers them a sucker deal: $5,000 each for the exclusive rights to their show. Elated, Wayne and Garth sign the contract without reading the fine print. To their horror, “Wayne’s World” promptly gets an unwanted makeover – hokey theme song, jovial announcer, flashing neon sign and all. When they try to protest, the producer reminds them that they’ve signed the contract and it’s not up to them. Worse yet, he’s using all his slimy tricks to steal Wayne’s girlfriend, the hard-rockin’, monochromatically-clothed Cassandra (Tia Carrere). This totally blows! But Wayne’s not going to let The Man keep him down. With newfound resolve, Wayne vows to fight back, and recover all that is dear to him – with a little help from his fans.

“Wayne’s World” is everything I really shouldn’t like: goofy, lowbrow humor (“Asphinctersayswhat?” “What?” “Exactly.”), scruffy and homely protagonists, the simplest and most unsurprising of plots. And the early-'90s wardrobe and makeup definitely hasn’t aged gracefully. But it has a certain cleverness that elevates it above the usual wretched SNL-movie fare. It’s a straightforward story, but with plenty of winks and nudges at the audience; Wayne and Garth break the fourth wall and directly address the viewers when they feel like it, and when they don’t care for the way a scene plays out, they use the ol’ dissolving-screen trick (“Doodly-doo! Doodly-doo!”) for a do-over.

The suburban setting brings back fond memories of high school – cruising downtown and rocking out in the car, stopping at greasy fast-food hangouts, sharing a rapid-fire patter of dumb jokes with friends. Wayne and Garth are, in fact, overgrown teens, full of bumbling, awkward charm, and the other minor characters (the donut-loving cop, the brain-dead stoner band, the incredibly informative security guard) are affectionate caricatures, funny without being mean-spirited. And – gasp! – the movie doesn’t have to resort to toilet humor, graphic sexuality, or vile language to get laughs.

I’ve seen “Wayne’s World” more times than any other movie I can think of, and – for better or for worse – it’s permanently shaped (warped?) my sense of humor. I still enjoy watching it, and it still cracks me up, even though I can recite much of the dialogue right along with the actors. Unabashedly silly yet oddly addictive, “Wayne’s World” may not do much for my hipster cred, but it’s still one of my secret favorites.

******

This is part of minorthreat78's Guilty Pleasures W/O. Go here to find out all about it and see the list of participants.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD