Today’s quick review: Wrongfully Accused. When violinist Ryan Harrison (Leslie Nielsen) is wrongfully accused of murder, he becomes a fugitive from the law to clear his name. His search for the truth lands him even deeper in trouble, tangling him up with a woman with a secret (Melinda McGraw), putting him in the crosshairs of the victim’s wife (Kelly LeBrock), and making him the center of a nationwide manhunt led by a relentless lawman (Richard Crenna).
Wrongfully Accused is a comedy that spoofs the action thriller genre, taking aim at every cliche and iconic moment it has to offer. Leslie Nielsen stars as Ryan Harrison, the victim of a ludicrous frame job. Wrongfully Accused follows directly in the footsteps of movies like Airplane!, packing in as many slapstick gags and references as it possibly can. However, the quality of its script and humor put it a few steps below the best the genre has to offer.
Wrongfully Accused scratches the same itch for absurd comedy as films like Airplane!, Mafia!, and Hot Shots!. The movie is an endless stream of one-off sight gags, slapstick routines, and parodies, using the comedic equivalent of free association to deliver joke after joke. The sheer volume of jokes works in the movie’s favor. Even thought the individual gags are not very preciseley aimed, a few of them are bound to hit the mark.
But the low hit rate is what sets Wrongfully Accused apart from the better movies of this type. Wrongfully Accused never tries to play off the viewer’s expectations. Instead, it tends to spit out jokes as fast as possible, with little setup and minimal attempt at timing. This leads to flat humor where the best jokes get buried by the worst. The plot is also hard to follow, a messy pastiche of The Fugitive, Double Jeopardy, and other thrillers.
Wrongfully Accused is a decent pick for fans of ridiculous comedies who don’t have their expectations set too high. In spite of its imperfections, Wrongfully Accused is silly and creative enough to earn some good laughs, especially for those willing to overlook the jokes that miss their mark. But viewers looking for Leslie Nielsen’s best work, a more cohesive story, or simply more focused humor will want to look elsewhere.
For a more memorable classic of the genre, try Airplane!, Top Secret!, or The Naked Gun. For an absurd comedy of similar caliber, try Mafia!, Spy Hard, or the later Naked Gun movies.
6.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for fun humor held back by uneven quality and an especially disjointed plot.