Alright, fellow tape travelers, let’s pop this one in the VCR. Remember 1995’s The Brady Bunch Movie? That glorious blast of polyester-clad awkwardness dropped into the grunge era? It was a surprise hit, a fish-out-of-water concept milked for maximum cringe comedy. So, naturally, Hollywood did what Hollywood does: sequel time! But instead of just rehashing the formula, 1996’s A Very Brady Sequel did something wonderfully weird. It brought back original movie villain Tim Matheson, not as the same slimy character, but as a completely different con man infiltrating the Brady household. The sheer audacity of that move tells you everything you need to know about this delightfully unhinged follow-up.
### Same Bradys, Stranger Dangers
Picking up right where the groovy vibes left off, the Bradys are still navigating the cynical 90s with their unwavering 70s sincerity, a concept still ripe for laughs. Director Arlene Sanford, primarily known for her extensive TV work on shows that would later define the late 90s and early 00s, stepped behind the camera, keeping the visual style consistent while leaning even harder into the absurdity. Writers Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan (who would later give us the teen classic Can't Hardly Wait) along with James Berg and Stan Zimmerman, clearly understood the assignment: maintain the core Brady essence but dial the underlying weirdness up to eleven. The plot this time? A priceless antique horse statue, a shady imposter claiming to be Carol Brady's long-lost first husband (hello, Tim Matheson as Roy Martin/Trevor Thomas!), and a trip to sunny Hawaii. Standard Brady fare, right? Well…
### Leaning into the Laughs (and the Slightly Taboo)
A Very Brady Sequel isn't afraid to get a little more adventurous, pushing the envelope further than its predecessor. While the first film played heavily on the culture clash, this one dives headfirst into character-based humor and situations that flirt with the wonderfully inappropriate. Remember that palpable, slightly uncomfortable tension between Greg and Marcia? This sequel leans into it with a wink and a nudge that’s pure 90s postmodern satire. It knows exactly what it's doing, playing on decades of audience perception and twisting it into comedic gold.
And then there's Alice's infamous trip. Retro Fun Fact: After accidentally consuming psychedelic mushrooms meant for Roy, Alice goes on a kaleidoscopic journey that feels ripped straight from a different kind of 70s movie. Apparently, Paramount Pictures was initially quite nervous about this sequence, envisioning something far more explicit. Director Sanford, however, assured them it would be handled comedically, resulting in one of the film's most memorable and laugh-out-loud moments – a perfectly bizarre interlude in a perfectly bizarre movie.
### The Cast Grooves On
The returning cast remains pitch-perfect. Gary Cole as Mike Brady is a deadpan masterpiece, delivering lines about architectural integrity and fatherly wisdom with unwavering earnestness that only highlights the chaos around him. Shelley Long embodies Carol Brady's relentless optimism and slightly forced cheerfulness, a crucial anchor for the film's tone. Their commitment is the joke, and they nail it. Jennifer Elise Cox continues to steal scenes as the perpetually overlooked and angst-ridden Jan, her internal monologue becoming external frustration.
And Tim Matheson? He revels in the dual role, shifting from charming suitor to desperate thief with gleeful energy. It’s a testament to his charisma that he makes Roy/Trevor somehow both menacing and ridiculously inept. Retro Fun Fact: Matheson, of course, played a different con man trying to swindle the Bradys in the first film. Recasting him as a new threat was a meta-joke that landed perfectly for audiences who remembered his previous slimy role. It’s the kind of self-aware gag that defined so much 90s comedy.
### Island Fever and Box Office Returns
The shift to Hawaii for the film's climax provides a welcome change of scenery, even if it feels slightly like an excuse for more wacky hijinks involving ancient curses and convenient plot resolutions. It maintains the bright, almost hyper-real visual style established in the first film. Retro Fun Fact: While the original Brady Bunch Movie was a solid box office success, grossing over $46 million domestically on a modest $12 million budget, A Very Brady Sequel saw a dip, bringing in around $21.4 million. Critically, it received similarly mixed reviews, but like its predecessor, it found a devoted audience on home video – becoming a staple on rental shelves and cable TV, cementing its status as a cult comedy favourite for those who appreciated its specific brand of satire.
### The Final Rewind
A Very Brady Sequel takes the foundation of the first film and builds something stranger, funnier, and arguably more daring. It’s less concerned with just pointing out the Bradys are weird in the 90s and more interested in exploring the inherent weirdness within the Brady universe itself, amplified through that 90s lens. The jokes are sharper, the situations more outlandish, and the meta-commentary more pronounced. It’s a film that understood its source material, understood the audience's relationship to that material, and wasn't afraid to have a whole lot of fun messing with both.
Rating: 8/10
Justification: This score reflects the film's success as a sharp, funny, and surprisingly clever satire. It perfectly captures the intended tone, features spot-on performances (especially from Cole, Long, and Matheson), and isn't afraid to push comedic boundaries (Alice's trip!). While perhaps less impactful financially than the first, it arguably surpasses it in pure comedic invention and memorable moments, fully earning its cult classic status. It knew exactly what it wanted to be and executed it with groovy flair.
Final Comment: Proof that sometimes, lightning can strike twice, especially if that lightning is wearing bell-bottoms and tripping on mushrooms. Far out, man.