Hardly Working
Hardly Working

Hardly Working

1980Movie91 minEnglish

In Jerry Lewis's first film in a decade, he plays Bo Hooper, an unemployed circus clown who can't seem to hold down a job. The film opens with a brief montage of clips from past Lewis movies. He then moves into a succession of jobs that he gets himself fired from including a gas station attendant and a mailman - all with disastrous results.

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Insights

IMDb4.7/10
Director: Jerry LewisGenres: Comedy

Plot Summary

A comedic tale centered around a young man who dreams of being a circus clown but struggles to find employment. He embarks on a series of bizarre and often disastrous jobs, encountering eccentric characters and navigating hilarious situations. The film follows his earnest but clumsy attempts to make his way in the world, leading to a series of slapstick encounters.

Critical Reception

Hardly Working was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, who largely found it unfunny and dated. Audiences also showed little interest, contributing to its poor commercial performance.

What Reviewers Say

  • Widely considered one of Jerry Lewis's least successful films.
  • Criticized for its lack of original humor and dated comedic style.
  • Often cited as an example of a performer's late-career work failing to resonate.

Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce, but those available generally reflect the critical sentiment, with many viewers finding the film unfocused and lacking the comedic spark of Lewis's earlier work.

Fun Fact

Jerry Lewis directed, co-wrote, and starred in Hardly Working, marking his return to directing after a long hiatus, though it did not achieve the success of his earlier directorial efforts.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
RottenPop

RottenPop

I thought _Hey! Jerry Lewis is funny right? How bad could this be?_ It's horrible. Fifteen minuets in and I am not even cracking a smile. Believe me, I like a good classic comedy. Especially some good tame light-hearted humor. But this was ...