Volunteers

R

Released Aug 16, 1985

1 hr. 46 min.

Comedy

List

58%

12 Reviews

Tomatometer

33%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Hoping to avoid gambling debts, rich playboy Lawrence Bourne (Tom Hanks) stows away on a plane of Peace Corps volunteers set for Thailand. Once aboard, he meets the outrageously affable Tom Tuttle (John Candy), who shows him the ropes. After landing, the crew is stationed in a small town where they are to construct a bridge. Along with the lovely and altruistic Beth Wexler (Rita Wilson), the group begins work, but soon discover the CIA, communists and a drug lord are eyeing the bridge.

Read More

Read Less

Apple TV

Buy Volunteers on Apple TV.

Audience Member

Man, not sure what was going on here. Hanks' accent choice is awful and fades in and out (though, it may be a vehicle for communicating how self-absorbed Lawrence is at the moment). Rita Wilson hits all the beats expected of supporting actresses in 80s comedies - which is to say, does a lot of loud talking and playing hard to get but ultimately succumbing to the leading male's charm. Candy gives the best performance of the bunch.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I can't believe I've never seen this movie and that it took me so long to watch it. Now I know why Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson say this is their favorite movie. They had wonderful chemistry in "Volunteers" and although I found this a bit slow in places, it did have some hilarious moments. I love John Candy singing the Wazzu (Washington State University) fight song! The scenery was beautiful and the acting was great (loved Gedde Watanabe in this almost as much as I loved him as Long Duck Dong in Sixteen Candles. I'm glad I finally saw this because it's suspenseful, romantic and funny. The ending was a bit of a disappointment, given the first part of the film. I wish it had been longer and that Tom Hanks' relationship with Rita Wilson had been flushed out a little more but it was a wonderful way for them to start their real relationship!

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think any one of us can unexpectedly become volunteers in a way whether it's intentional or not In the case of Tom Hanks as Laurence, a spoiled rich kid from NYC he gets into some trouble with the mafia owing then gambling money during the 1960s He follows his roommate at Yale joining the peace corps to Thailand and ends up in the country helping the indigenous peoples he wasn't planning to He's joined by Tom the Turtle Tuttle played by John Candy and Beth played by Rita Wilson but all of them get caught up in the middle of a communist struggle occupying the nation A bridge is being constructed although more than one party wants to have control of if At first Laurence isn't the slightest bit interested in participating in community service but after seeing Beth he's willing to be a humanitarian helping the villagers, stopping drug lords, and ending communist forces This movie was also the first time Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson met playing a couple on-screen and actually ending up together off-screen. One of those rare examples of beginning Hollywood romances. There's several Asian stereotypes that are cringeworthy but there was one joke breaking-the-fourth wall that made me laugh and Hanks, Wilson, and John Candy carry the movie enough to be above average. Also has the main character apply that moral of what you can not only do for your country not for others. Laurence does the right thing for the right reasons for a change for once in his life. A lot of us can strive to do something for others instead of just for ourselves. A decent comedy if you don't retain a lot from it afterwards.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

1985: A college graduate with huge gambling debts takes the place of a buddy and joins with the Peace Corps in Thailand. He regrets the move but cannot leave. He and other volunteers join together to help a local Thai group in building a bridge to help the village. However, two different rival groups threaten the village. The movie is watchable, but ultimately disappointing. The plot just becomes ultimately plodding. The lead character is rather unlikable, though Hanks does what he can with the role of Lawrence Bourne III. Candy has some amusing moments as "Tom Tuttle from Tacoma". Wilson is likable as Beth Wexler. Stars: Tom Hanks, John Candy, Rita Wilson, Tim Thomerson, and Gedde Watanabe. (Hanks and Wilson married after the making of this picture.)

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hilarious and fun way to kill some time!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hanky and Candy are great together once again. A vastly underrated comedy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Nicholas Meyer

Director

Tom Hanks

Lawrence Whatley Bourne III

John Candy

Tom Tuttle

Rita Wilson

Beth Wexler

Tim Thomerson

John Reynolds

Gedde Watanabe

At Toon

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

27%

72%

See No Evil, Hear No Evil

0%

27%

Loose Cannons

5%

34%

Another You

31%

56%

Hudson Hawk

TRAILER

for Hudson Hawk

14%

40%

Private Resort

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

12 New Year’s Resolutions on Film

View more photos

Variety

Promising premise and opening shortly descend into unduly protracted tedium.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Time Out

A blas Hanks redeems this string of sexist, racist, comic clichs with winning charm. It's funny.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Walter Goodman

New York Times

A little melancholy may blend with the laughter ''Volunteers'' draws at the expense of those earnest days when a President was urging people to ask what they could do for their country.

May 21, 2003

Full Review

TV Guide

Hanks is excellent and has a way with funny lines that marks him as one of the better droll comic actors, if given the right material. Here, writers Ken Levine and David Isaacs have provided the actors with solid jokes.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 23, 2013

Full Review

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Often funny premise, but comedy cast makes it work.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 1, 2007

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a silly, thoroughly unmemorable comedy...

Rated: 2/4

Feb 18, 2006

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Hoping to avoid gambling debts, rich playboy Lawrence Bourne (Tom Hanks) stows away on a plane of Peace Corps volunteers set for Thailand. Once aboard, he meets the outrageously affable Tom Tuttle (John Candy), who shows him the ropes. After landing, the crew is stationed in a small town where they are to construct a bridge. Along with the lovely and altruistic Beth Wexler (Rita Wilson), the group begins work, but soon discover the CIA, communists and a drug lord are eyeing the bridge.

Director: Nicholas Meyer
Production Co: Home Box Office (HBO), TriStar Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 16, 1985, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $19.4M
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

Most Popular at Home Now