'My Boyfriend's Back' is both great as a political analogy (dealing with generic prejudice and social mistrust) as well as a hard mockery of standard teen fare. The story is that of a teen who is dying to go to the prom with the school beauty. Unfortunately, a plan to get her attention backfires and he dies. But, he rises as the walking dead in order to keep the date. But, even though no one seems to mind much that the dead kid pretty much resumed his normal life, he is quickly decaying. And, it requires that he eats living things in order to slow the process until a doctor (played fantastically by character actor, Austin Pendleton) can figure out how to chemically reverse the process. Of course, his cannibalism does not blow over well with the towns folk, who soon begin to ostracize the boy (and violently, at that).
It is a witty little black comedy that does sometimes strive too hard to impose its humor on the audience (though, maintaining some witty subtle humor at the same time). The generic supporting characters such as the oblivious father (played by Edward Hermann), the exceedingly prim mother, and, of course, the doctor (Austin Pendleton) are great. Its seems like a more scaled down, cheaper version of something that Tim Burton could put together (and sort of did, with Frankenweenie). Also, look for Cloris Leachman, Paul Dooley, and a then-unknown Matthew Fox and Phyllip Seymour Hoffman in supporting roles.
If you enjoy this movie, check out 'My Best Friend is a Vampire,' 'The Applegates,' 'I Was a Teenage Zombie,' 'Terror Vision,' or the disturbing black comedy 'Parents.' This is one of those oddball varieties.
