# Carrie Fisher already looked and was terrible in "The 'Burbs" (1989) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631 "2017-03-20T17:56:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/41 "2017-03-20T21:45:12Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Again, guys, it’s the _whole package_ of how she seems in the 'Burbs, including her seeming really out of it. Had she _looked_ exactly the same but had seem into the movie and was acting well, I would not have written the OP. She was a bad actress in a movie so we should not be surprised she looked old twenty years later? Well then, I agree. People do look older after twenty years. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/42 "2017-03-20T23:12:10Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > She was a bad actress in a movie so we should not be surprised she looked old twenty years later? Well then, I agree. People do look older after twenty years. It was 29 years later. It’s not so much that Fisher was a “bad actress” in the movie; she seemed messed up, addled, off, elsewhere, etc. That had the effect of making the performance bad, yes, but I would contrast the situation with that of a healthy person engaging in “bad acting.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/43 "2017-03-20T23:31:31Z")
I don’t think this is having the effect of making the OP appear to have been written less dickishly. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/44 "2017-03-21T00:27:10Z")
I Netflixed it about 2 or 3 months ago, after not having seen it since VHS. It was ok. Not a horrible movie, but not what many would consider OMG! funny today. I don’t think it was meant to be that kind of film. It seemed to have a sarcasm towards movies running as an undercurrent throughout it, imho. Not “dark” but definitely not a light comedic touch either. 6.5 ranking for me. (Actual IMDb ranking as of today is 6.9. I just checked.) YMMV! OBVIOUSLY on the SDMB, YMMV - BIG TIME. Seriously, has it ever been any other way on this message board? As for Carrie Fisher, she looks fine, imho. Compared to certain other actresses though, she looks rougher. Seriously. She DOES indeed look a little like the next door MILF that drinks and smokes an awful lot. As for her performance in this film, I thought she was the weakest link. Maybe she was just phoning it in or something. I liked the pizza delivery guy better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/45 "2017-03-21T01:14:47Z")
Ha! Look what the web has: [100 reasons why The 'Burbs is the best movie of all time](http://thepinksmoke.com/burbs.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/46 "2017-03-21T01:15:44Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > Ha! Look what the web has: > > [100 reasons why The 'Burbs is the best movie of all time](http://thepinksmoke.com/burbs.htm) It’s no Dragnet. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/47 "2017-03-21T01:57:04Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I don’t think this is having the effect of making the OP appear to have been written less dickishly. “This” being which thing? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/48 "2017-03-21T02:39:23Z")
The most important thing is that the Pizza Dude saved the day. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/49 "2017-03-21T02:59:23Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > “This” being which thing? Any of it. What was your point? To trash a marvelous woman who had a hard life, did a lot of drugs, took responsibility for ALL of it, and died? Way to go. You’re such a prince. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/50 "2017-03-21T03:02:28Z")
It’s been awhile but I thought The 'Burbs was decent enough to be a favorite on our video store rotation when I worked there in the 90’s and Carrie Fisher was awesome even when she lived hard and aged normally. End of Story. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/51 "2017-03-21T03:15:44Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > Any of it. What was your point? To trash a marvelous woman who had a hard life… I wouldn’t say that she _had_ a hard life. Not more than anybody else. Her parents were rich and famous, and she herself achieved success at a young age. She ended up giving herself a hard life. Now, she also had mental illness, which sucks. But she also had the resources to overcome that. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/52 "2017-03-21T03:25:04Z")
Both she and Mark Hamill literally smoked like chimneys since their teens and it did a number on their faces as they got into their 30’s and beyond. I am surprised Hamill was able to keep his voice as agile as he did for so long as a successful voice actor. [The Joker: Mark Hamill](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gBWpWwIBKw) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/53 "2017-03-21T05:16:38Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > “This” being which thing? Basically every one of your posts after the OP. Plus the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/54 "2017-03-21T05:38:31Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Basically every one of your posts after the OP. > > Plus the OP. Well, consistency should count for something. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/55 "2017-03-21T06:08:53Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I donno–_License to Drive_ is pretty strong competition. And [one scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxzLMJBOhHA) from _Dream a Little Dream_. (Okay, I probably have more reason to like _that_ scene than you do.) Ah, _License to Drive_…the movie that introduced us to [Heather Graham as Mercedes Lane](https://www.google.com/search?q=heather+graham+mercedes&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDnt_r9ubSAhXGJiYKHUSXBg0Q_AUICCgB&biw=1600&bih=770#imgrc=2EiAuMPen5EFvM:). I do have to take issue with your _Dream a Little Dream_, however. Though it has no Coreys in it, [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNGIg8f-0Wc) is the best “impromptu” dance sequence in a movie. It has a Ducky. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/56 "2017-03-21T15:49:53Z")
It’s a nice movie. Not a great movie. But worth watching once. The secondary players have some real gems: Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Gale Gordon. (The latter two in their last movie roles.) Bruce Dern doing a great over-the-top job but in comedy this time. Etc. One issue the production had was that there was a writer’s strike going on. So no official script changes could be done during filming. Actors were encouraged to ad lib. Perhaps Fisher wasn’t comfortable doing that due to a pro-scriptwriter stance. She had already written _Postcards …_ and might have done some script doctoring by then. Pizza dude! ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/57 "2017-03-21T17:58:03Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > I wouldn’t say that she _had_ a hard life. Not more than anybody else. Her parents were rich and famous, and she herself achieved success at a young age. She ended up giving herself a hard life. Now, she also had mental illness, which sucks. But she also had the resources to overcome that. Yeah, you big Hollywood crybabies afflicted with mental illnesses–You’ve got money! What are you complaining about? While you’re at it, why don’t you tell Robin Williams he should’ve just sucked it up. ---
**Author:** ![Crybaby\_Boobie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crybaby_boobie/32/545_2.png) [@Crybaby\_Boobie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crybaby_Boobie)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/58 "2017-03-21T18:48:12Z")
The 'burbs is a great movie! "I want to kill everyone. Satan is good. Satan is our pal. " “This…is Walter!” Great movie. Top tier Tom Hanks! ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/59 "2017-03-21T19:10:24Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Okay, I’ll be the first to say it: The 'Burbs is good. Even though it had only one Corey. I enjoyed the movie, as well. And I never thought that Carrie Fisher was particularly attractive; certainly nothing wrong with her, but she just didn’t “float my boat”. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631/60 "2017-03-21T19:45:51Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > And since we’re indulging our shallow sides…am i the only one for whom the gold bikini did absolutely NOTHING?? > > It’s not sexy!! Sexy requires context and being chained up to a space slug is the furthest thing from sexy. That scene really should have turned me on, what with my odd “superheroine-in-peril” fetish, and the skimpiness of her attire. And she did look good in the bikini, I guess. But it just didn’t quite do it for me, either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carrie-fisher-already-looked-and-was-terrible-in-the-burbs-1989/782631.md?page=4)