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The Rewatchables ·

Dirty Work

year 1998decade 90sdirector Bob Sagetgenre Comedy
host Bill Simmonshost Sean Fennesseyproducer Craig Horlbeck format Norm Macdonald Tribute
All 16 categories

Most Rewatchable Scene · 34:07

The jail sequence

Bill Simmons: The childhood opening credits are praised for casting children who resemble neither lead and for the superglue revenge against a predatory crossing guard.

The frat-house prank works through fake police calls, robbery, and a blunt final insult.

The film

Dirty Work (1998)

Directed by Bob Saget · Comedy

82 minutes

IMDb Find on JustWatch Find on Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

34:07

Most Rewatchable Scene

The jail sequence

The jail sequence

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:34:07Read transcript
  • The childhood opening credits are praised for casting children who resemble neither lead and for the superglue revenge against a predatory crossing guard. — Bill Simmons
  • The frat-house prank works through fake police calls, robbery, and a blunt final insult.
  • Chevy Chase's first doctor scene is praised for coldly rejecting the heart-transplant patient before trying to sell a hospital bed. — Bill Simmons
  • Don Rickles' hospital-room insults are praised as a concentrated comic performance.
  • The Men in Black pornography scene wins laughs by pushing a thin premise into blunt absurdity. — Bill Simmons
  • The dead-hooker trunk reveal is praised for escalating through the remote-controlled trunk openings and a remembered Saigon story. — Bill Simmons
  • The dead-fish revenge sustains a silent pose while violence occurs offscreen, recalling an older broad-comedy serial. — Sean Fennessey
  • The jail scene remains funny across repeated viewings because the lecture about respect collides with the more painful assault.
  • Chris Farley's skunk release is described as an unnerving, fully committed burst of comic chaos. — Bill Simmons
  • The abrupt ending and final line about the doctor's death are praised for refusing a normal resolution. — Bill Simmons
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42:08

What’s Aged the Best?

The note-to-self device, period soundtrack, bloopers, Jack Warden, Jim Downey, Artie Lange, and Chris Farley

The note-to-self device, period soundtrack, bloopers, Jack Warden, Jim Downey, Artie Lange, and Chris Farley

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:42:08Read transcript
  • The note-to-self recorder remains a funny extension of the lead comic persona. — Bill Simmons
  • A rapid sequence of three period pop hits fixes the comedy firmly in the late 1990s. — Bill Simmons
  • Closing-credit bloopers are praised as a comic tradition associated with the Cannonball Run films. — Bill Simmons
  • Jack Warden holding the invented old-men magazine remains a strong visual gag. — Bill Simmons
  • Jim Downey's homeless-man routine repeatedly sets up sentimental music and wisdom only to be cut off. — Bill Simmons
  • Jack Warden's long supporting career is celebrated through The Replacements, 12 Angry Men, Shampoo, The Verdict, and Heaven Can Wait. — Bill Simmons
  • The compact jokes about stopping people and the brothers’ parentage are praised for efficiency. — Bill Simmons
  • Artie Lange's casting looks smart because the film helped lead to his later radio career. — Sean Fennessey
  • Chris Farley's final film role preserves one of his strongest short comic appearances. — Sean Fennessey
  • The catalog of note-to-self lines is praised, with the beer reminder called the most memorable. — Bill Simmons
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50:32

What’s Aged the Worst?

Dated Gary Coleman and Ken Norton references, the rushed ending, and thin girlfriend roles draw criticism.

Dated Gary Coleman and Ken Norton references, the rushed ending, and thin girlfriend roles draw criticism.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:50:32Read transcript
  • The Gary Coleman and Ken Norton material is expected to confuse viewers under forty. — Bill Simmons
  • The final twenty minutes feel rushed, as though the crew had only a week left to turn sketches into a movie ending. — Bill Simmons
  • The fed-up girlfriend who throws out a loser hero repeats a familiar comedy opening used in Stripes, Happy Gilmore, and Big Daddy. — Sean Fennessey
  • The female lead receives no interesting dialogue or useful character material. — Bill Simmons
  • The casting is compared unfavorably with Julie Bowen and the performance draws a blunt negative reaction. — Bill Simmons
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55:46

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Kevin Farley

Kevin Farley

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:55:46Read transcript
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56:28

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Chris Farley

Chris Farley

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:56:28Read transcript
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57:46

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Chris Farley and Chevy Chase (co-winners)

Chris Farley and Chevy Chase (co-winners)

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:46Read transcript
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1:01:37

Apex Mountain

No affirmative selection

No affirmative selection

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:01:37Read transcript
  • The year 1998 is proposed because he had just left SNL and still appeared poised for a larger screen run. — Bill Simmons
  • Publication of his first Grantland column is the preferred personal apex. — Bill Simmons
  • The memoir is also praised, but the movie is not judged an apex for the director, writer, or supporting cast. — Bill Simmons
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1:05:43

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

A ten-episode streaming series with one revenge job per episode

A ten-episode streaming series with one revenge job per episode

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:43Read transcript
  • A remake could devote each episode to a separate revenge job. — Bill Simmons
  • Nathan Fielder’s elaborate bad-idea commitments are cited as a smarter contemporary cousin to the movie’s comic premise. — Bill Simmons
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1:08:30

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

The Dirty Work sign or fake bitten nose

The Dirty Work sign or fake bitten nose

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:30Read transcript
  • The business sign would be displayed above a garage. — Sean Fennessey
  • Farley's fake bitten nose is the other desired prop. — Bill Simmons
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1:08:52

Who Won the Movie?

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:52Read transcript
  • Norm Macdonald is the unquestioned winner and the closing celebrates his extensive archive of performances and interviews. — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Norm Macdonald
Speaker not identified
Norm Macdonald
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