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There's also a subplot about Cassandra trying to get a recording contract, and a lot of talk about the history of Milwaukee.

I know, it sounds about as engrossing as that episode of The Brady Bunch where Peter broke Alice's favorite lamp. But like I said, the great thing about Wayne's World was always Myers and Carvey themselves, and their interaction/improvisation with everyone around them. In that regards, the movie version really shines - Rob Lowe is the quintessential smooth-talking corporate shark who exists on some kind of interdimensional plane where the only difference between good and evil is whether or not you get results. For me, he's the best thing in the movie - you seriously aren't sure whether you want to hand over your firstborn child or drive a stake through his heart.

The part fits him like the condom he's probably using on your daughter right now. Benjamin is just THAT good.

Tia Carrere, I should point out, isn't much of an actress but she sings well, even if she does succumb to the early '90s hair metal vibe a bit too deeply. The rest of the movie is littered with bit parts and cameos by people like Ed O'Neill, Chris Farley, Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper, and the humor stays light and self-effacing all throughout. Yes, a lot of the fun depends on pop culture references that haven't been relevant for a quarter century. Also, concepts such as “cable access television” and “high-waisted jeans” might be alien to modern viewers, and there's only one reference to the Internet in the whole film - made as a novelty. There's definitely a time capsule quality to Wayne's World, but as someone who was there at the time, it still (mostly) works for me.

Still, a lot of it hasn't aged well. Myers' ironic, self-referential brand of humor was unique at the time, but it fell out of favor a long time ago, and a number of people have done it as well or better since. It's like watching the original Superman movie and then checking out The Avengers now. It's still good, but dear God does it seem primitive now. No, it's not his fault that the style he pioneered has passed him by, but it's worth noting. It's Myers' vision that makes the whole thing work in the first place, and director Penelope Spheeris hilariously got more credit for that than she deserved. If you don't believe me, check out The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) or The Little Rascals (1994).

Better yet, do not do either of those things. Just take my word for the fact that the credit for Wayne's World belongs elsewhere. So, while it might be a little rough around the edges, and it really does drag in a lot of places (there's a painful product placement gag that relies entirely on your level of good will toward Mike Myers - which I suspect is less than it was in 1992), Wayne's World is still good, harmless, stupid fun. And the best part is, it will no longer cost you four dollars to see it. Yes, stealing is bad. Yes, SNL is overrated, or at least I hardly ever laugh when I watch. But free stuff is, and always will be awesome. And the fact that you can now spend 90 minutes with Wayne and Garth for the price of waking up in the morning is pretty cool. And best of all, you can save your four bucks for a cup of coffee, which I'm pretty sure cost less than that in 1992.

Man, inflation sucks.

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