A movie can capture the spirit of a time, or its zeitgeist, as the Germans say. Perhaps no movie embodies its time and place quite like Tommy Boy. The unpretentious road trip buddy flick is like a snapshot of 1995. It was a total laugh riot. Who can forget when that deer wakes up in the backseat or the fake in-flight safety demo scene? Despite all the absurd bits, it wasn’t without a certain subversive insight. The film addressed the growing economic anxiety of an increasingly displaced working class. Now, we are all fat guys in little coats.
The film turns 25 this year, but Chris Farley’s jocular slapstick and David Spade’s whiny snark still feel fresh. Underappreciated by critics, it was a major commercial success, grossing over $32 million. It made Farley into a superstar, though one snuffed out too soon. The big man may be gone, but he is not forgotten. He lives on in a van down by the river of our hearts. Here’s a list catching you up with where the cast of this comedic cult movie is today, with a few surprises thrown in as well.