Mischief

Mischief has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 159 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Doug McKeon's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

There is a reason Mischief keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in Mischief land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. 1956: The shy Jonathan's luck with girls changes when he wins the rebellious Gene as a friend in his last year of high school. Gene is adored by many girls and manages to teach Jonathan a few lessons. Gene himself would rather just be with one girl: his girlfriend Bunny. Doug McKeon and Catherine Mary Stewart lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1985. What keeps Mischief from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Mischief is a strong candidate. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Doug McKeon's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.