To get to know his girlfriend's son, a man volunteers to pick him up from a prep school... only to learn that her son's not the nicest kid.
Acting
Ed O'Neill's barely-contained rage is a masterclass in reactive comedy.
Writing
John Hughes wrote this? The man had RANGE beyond teen angst.
Practical Effects
Every gross-out gag hits harder because it's not CGI nonsense.
Director
Peter Faiman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was John Hughes's only screenplay where he didn't also direct, and reportedly he hated the final cut so much he used a pseudonym for some TV versions.
Dutch flopped hard in 1991 because audiences wanted Hughes's teen movies, not class commentary. It's become a secret Thanksgiving tradition for people who find Planes, Trains too wholesome.
US
