UHF

Name: UHF
Genre: Comedy
Released: July 21, 1989
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 32
Cast: Weird Al Yankovic

1989

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 49 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 49 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Orion Pictures Corporation | Release Date: July 21, 1989 | PG-13

Starring: Weird Al Yankovic

Summary: A madcap parody which finds an aimless young man inheriting a failing television station, which he revises by listening to his audience. (MGM)

Director: Jay Levey

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 97 min

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Critic Reviews

Rick Groen

The laughs just keep rolling as 'Weird Al' makes a movie. Overheard from a still-convulsing woman after a recent screening of Weird Al Yankovic's UHF: "I'm sorry, but that's funny." I'm sorry, but she's right. Yuks you feel obliged to apologize for are yuks nonetheless. And UHF prompts a lot of apologies.

Stephen Holden

The movie is forever digressing so that Mr. Yankovic can offer media spoofs that have only the most tangential relation to the story. [22 Jul 1989, p.1.15]

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Yankovic fails to come up with anything new to freshen the stock storyline, and is content instead to let it serve as a creaky showcase for his forte, media parodies. But even the quality of these parodies is inconsistent, with the movie and music takeoffs being obvious and out of date. Read full review

Julie Salamon

UHF, a parody of trash television, is almost defiantly silly, but when it's funny it is very funny. This sloppy, good-natured satire certainly doesn't threaten "Network's" status as the classic decimation of the television business. [27 Jul 1989, p.1]

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Gamely running through parodies of TV commercials and shows, not to mention Spielberg, Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Selznick, and Gandhi, the movie proves to be awful by any standards--feeble, corny, and labored in script as well as direction--although the Capracorn of the basic premise occasionally manages to convey a certain sweetness. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The result is a very unfunny movie. It's routine, predictable, and dumb - real dumb. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

In UHF we get 90 minutes of Al Yankovic, and that's 85 minutes too much. The problem isn't that he's weird, but that he isn't weird at all. The premises for his gags are commonplace and predictable, and his follow-throughs lack imagination. He seems incapable of spinning more than one tired joke from each set-up. [21 Jul 1989, p.E1]

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User Reviews

Lgbpop

Aug 8, 2014

This movie was under-rated when it premiered, and it still gets no respect. Personally, I think this movie is funnier than anything in the theaters now. No one associated with it ever claimed it was high comedy, or serious cinema - it was done for laughs....cheap, plentiful laughs. KevinThis movie was under-rated when it premiered, and it still gets no respect. Personally, I think this movie is funnier than anything in the theaters now. No one associated with it ever claimed it was high comedy, or serious cinema - it was done for laughs....cheap, plentiful laughs. Kevin McCarthy stole the movie, as far as I'm concerned. His over-the-top portrayal of R.J. Fletcher was a riot. If you have an hour and a half or so to kill, and want to be mindlessly entertained. check this one out.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

metaldev

Jul 11, 2015

UHF is my favorite movie of all time.
Why? It isn't a 'good' movie by any measure.
But it's unhinged, unapologetically over the top, and punches you in the face with hilarious absurdity at every turn... and sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered. To give you an idea of whatUHF is my favorite movie of all time.
Why? It isn't a 'good' movie by any measure.
But it's unhinged, unapologetically over the top, and punches you in the face with hilarious absurdity at every turn... and sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered.

To give you an idea of what it's like: Airplane! comes in as somewhat of a comparison in my opinion.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Noranda

Jul 26, 2007

If you love wacky comedy, this is a movie for you! I couldn't STOP laughing! Weird Al is truly the king of zany comedy!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MaddoxWhite

Apr 24, 2021

Cheese: The Movie. I live and die for cheese. Cheesy movie = Amazing movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Untitled94

Nov 5, 2016

This is a pretty good movie. Not the best movie I've ever seen, but it's very funny, has a good story, and is just overall fun to watch. I'm sure a sequel to this movie wouldn't do as well, but it doesn't need a sequel. Both because it's been too many years and the movie by itself it goodThis is a pretty good movie. Not the best movie I've ever seen, but it's very funny, has a good story, and is just overall fun to watch. I'm sure a sequel to this movie wouldn't do as well, but it doesn't need a sequel. Both because it's been too many years and the movie by itself it good enough. I went in expecting a great Weird Al Yankovic movie, and that's what I got.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DamienDarko777

May 6, 2011

I don't understand all the hate directed at this silly but fun mishmash of parodies. It's not shakespeare but damn it be funny! I laughed my butt off through the whole thing. If you like comedies like Naked Gun, then give this a try.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Ralfbergs

Dec 19, 2021

Maybe for the year it came out it was funnier, watchin this year feels a bit outdated, but was interesting to see young Al and also actor who portrayed Kramer later.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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