Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
"Alright people, stay with the group and remember here at the bio we're dependent on keeping homo's balanced within the system!"

1996 PG-13 / Dumb Comedy Directed by: Jason Bloom Starring: Pauly Shore, Stephen Baldwin, William Atherton

Tagline

Your dome away from home.

Summary Capsule

Two of the most annoying people get locked into an enclosed system... of SHEER HELLISH TORTURE!

Mutant Meter

Movie Store [proceeds go toward monthly MRFH upkeep]

DVD | Soundtrack (Score)

Justin's Rating: FREEEEEDOM from Pauly!
Justin's Review: Say what you will about Bio-Dome, but I make one solemn promise to you. It's the only film in existence that has Stephen Baldwin eating Pauly Shore's toenails, right off Pauly's feet. And out of all of the cinematic instances I've ever witnessed with my 1.5 eyes, this scene has stuck with me day after day, hour after hour, until sometimes it's all I can see when I close my eyes to sleep at night. Yes, I feel your pity, but that doesn't help me sleep without screaming, does it? DOES IT?

"Plus, some day when my grandson comes waddling up to me clutching an ancient VHS copy of Jury Duty and a hurt, accusing look in his eyes, I'll be able to explain how vulnerable society was back then that such a travesty was allowed to happen."

Seeing as how every staff member here at MRFH flees the room when I try to assign Pauly Shore flicks, clucking like the chickens they are, it falls on my broad shoulders to tackle the Mt. Everest of tackiness. I'm like Frodo, tasked with a quest that I didn't ask for, but at least I have a wizened manniquin and a magical pug to help me on my journey. In any case, I figure I should probably work out all past demons and get the Shore movies behind me. Plus, some day when my grandson comes waddling up to me clutching an ancient VHS copy of Jury Duty and a hurt, accusing look in his eyes, I'll be able to explain how vulnerable society was back then that such a travesty was allowed to happen.

Usually when people choose a Pauly Shore enterprise to mock and blame, it's Bio-Dome. It wasn't because Pauly was better or worse in it than his other movies, it's just that the public, who had uneasily approved of Encino Man and Son In Law, found their limit here. It was just too much Shore, too much stupidity, and too much pay for a guy who might still be in remedial kindergarten. So the world stood united as it took out its paddle and gave Bio-Dome a righteous spanking, effectively halting Shore's career post-1996 and paving the way for Adam Sandler's rise to glory.

Maybe it wasn't so bad, after all. Consider this: Bio-Dome contains healthy portions of William Atherton with a mullet (Walter Peck from Ghostbusters), Kylie Minogue, Joey Lauren Adams, Rose McGowan, AND the cult band Tenacious D (with Jack Black). Doesn't that make you want to see it now? Oh. You want to read my review of the movie before deciding? Well, if I actually have to work... *grumble grumble*

Bio-Dome follows the typical paper-thin stylings of a comedy setup. You have your standard Durrr Duo, Bud (Shore) and Doyle (Baldwin), best friends for life because (a) they'll never be allowed to have sex, and (b) the judge ruled that it was either that or being buried alive in a tar pit. Through stupidity, these stupid buddies get stupidly trapped inside a sealed bio-dome for an entire year (they think it's a new mall). They end up living aside with five other actors who were trapped in their own private hells as they had to first act like all serious and stuff for Shore and Baldwin's wackiness to play off of, and then finally convert over to the dark side and "lighten up" so they weren't "The Man".

Bud acts like typical Shore; which is to say, he's nuttier than Andy Dick in rehab, fluttering his hands and face while making barely legible comments and giggling. Doyle isn't much better, as he's a cross between Brendan Fraser from Encino Man (with the dreads and the caveman mentality) and... well... a desperate Baldwin brother. If you can stomach the goofitry of them both, then your next barrier to overcome is the believability factor that two such buffoons got Joey Adams and generic gorgeous babe as girlfriends. In fact, that's the only other thing I remember from the first time I saw this movie: in the bio-dome, locked away from their girlfriends, the two guys end up almost hooking up with the two lovely girls in there, but decide not to and just be faithful to their outside cuties. Cue Dr. Evil's "Riiiiiiiiiight." There's just no way for two people with a collective IQ of 45 to make such a noble and loyal decision instead of letting their willies (collective IQ: 112) make it for them.

While it's positively quaint to rag on the clichés of horror and romance films — particularly after we've done it at MRFH — no one seems to call the comedy genre on the same-old, same-old tactics they employ. How about everyone other than the leads falling into two categories: either being huge fans of the main characters, or being complete tools and mean and grumpy for no reason? How about how they make far-out scenarios plausible with the most flimsy of setups? Or how there's always, always a big party at the end with loud music and all secondary characters either stop being tools and ask forgiveness, or get their comeuppance? How about how no one ever pulls out a gun and plugs people this annoying? Hey, not doing something can be a cliché too.

Once Bud and Doyla have been as completely jerky as they can manage without directly farting on the principal cast's mothers' faces, they trash the Dome with a huge party, and then finally decide to be good and save it all and some other nonsense. Basically, it's a great excuse to get a laugh out of the fact that an entire town — possibly the whole state of Arizona — is so nuts about this Bio-Dome that they constantly stand outside of the place and cheer for things like a sign stating "18%" of homeostasis. Which means nothing to you and I, but I assure you, it means a great deal to the mindless morons there. The desert has driven them completely batty.

Listen, I really do enjoy a dumb buddy movie when it is based on a foundation of humorock. Heck, I consider Dude, Where's My Car? to be the ninth wonder of the freakin' modern world. But when a film — like Bio-Dome — mistakes gross stupidity for laughter, then it's just a little sad and a heap of pain. Still, Hudson Hawk was critically reviled, and that managed to survive long enough to find a happy home in my habitat, so I'm sure Bio-Dome has a special place. Not here, though. You got a guest room, it's yours.

Pauly Shore with (a) his hands on Kylie Minogue's butt, and (b) kissing Joey Lauren Adams grotesquely. For these, he must die. No stunt feet here, folks. The beautiful visage of Shore

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• Weasel Productions. You saw it here.
• You're 23% likely to go into an epileptic seizure during the opening credits
• What the HECK kind of fish is on that wall? It looks like it ran into a car, face-first.
• Wonder if Joey Adams has nightmares about kissing Shore. Niiiice midriff, tho. Not on Shore. On Adams.
• The rabbit... is toast!
• The music cues are pretty blatant
• Who wouldn't sneak into Kylie's bed? You, that's who. I can count on you.
• The weird dog shaving flashback
• Goats are miracles. I could listen to Kylie talk alllllll day.
• Analyzing farts. Impressive.
• Shout-out to "Chairman of the Board"
• Okay, using the goat as a caddy was funny
• And the desert confession scene made me laugh...
• Sure, anyone can whip up a party like this in no time
• Tenacious D!
• So how could the guys set up this party and all this equipment without the scientists knowing?
• Do these girls talk or do anything that's not related to the environment?
• Great chipmunk fire of 79? Whaaa?
• Hahahaha the sniper killing the clown on the news... bizarre
• Stephen Baldwin's butt. All for you.
• They get the Pope's endorsement
• The setup for the sequel

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

Oh jeez, no.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

This film marked the motion picture debut of Tenacious D

Groovy Quotes

Doyle: I don't want to have to eat you!
Bud: I don't you to eat me either.

Monique: There is something about a man who can lick his own back...

Doyle: [to Faulkner] You mother-Faulkner!

Bud and Doyle: And when where not saving the environment, we're thinkin' of you, naked, thigh deep in tofu.

Doyle: Miss? If you were yogurt, would you be fruit at the bottom or stirred?

Mimi: Where'd you come from?
Doyle: My mom and the authorities are still trying to figure that out.

Jen: I don't know you.
Doyle: I'm Doyle Johnson, you've seen me naked.

Bud: Woah, Woah, Woah! Wait a minute! You guys aren't one of those freaky cults are you? Ya know, who dance naked and you want us to take off our clothes and feed us special punch?
Falkner: ...No...
Bud: Damn! We were so close.

Bud: Alright people, stay with the group and remember here at the bio we're dependent on keeping homo's balanced within the system!

Bud: Woah Doyle! Put the gun down, put the gun down stubs! We don't need evil right now, evil is not good!

Soundtrack Review

Surprisingly, the soundtrack is a pretty decent compilation that includes such gems as The Safety Dance, Kids In America, I Want Candy, and Stuck In the Middle With You.

If you liked this movie, try these:

• Encino Man
• Son In Law
• Dude, Where's My Car?