Getting a break is one of the furthest things from easy, whether it’s through skilled talent and hard-work or skilled networking, or skilled nepotism. Even then, finding the opportunity to prove yourself can be one of the hardest steps to take. In 1986, looking to get his big break, comedic legend, Dave Foley, starred in a lesser-known project, and grabbed literally for those High Stakes.

Bo Baker is a kid who has had less than a nurturing upbringing, dreams of being a reporter, (among other high-flying pursuits) and, against his Uncle Bill’s judgement, gets a job at his News Station. Bettering his nephew’s career isn’t the highest priority for Bill, yet Bo is determined. He tries his hand at snagging a big scoop, one that will make a name for himself, but ends up getting involved in a casino scheme, a dame from the pulp novels, and a mystery involving a Nazi treasure.

Modern appreciation of this film comes from seeing leading comedy man, Dave Foley, starting in one of his earliest roles. While admittedly he isn’t as proud of the results, as he is of his other successes, there’s nothing in his earnestly enthusiastic performance that should have any reason to feel shame. Although a lot of the acclaim should also go to Jackson Davies, who, for lack of a better term, is a real piece of work. The final film might surprise fresh viewers, the humour cleaner, not as stoner-based as the title might imply, still the laughs are there, at least by early 80s standards. Suffice it to say, if you’ve seen any Bogart parody or that episode of the Venture Bros, you know what you’re going to get. While there are multiple dalliances with fantasy and dream sequences, that feel like the primitive ancestors of The Pear Dream, the office fur-trappers, or the alien father embarrassed about his stand-up career. As a forbearer, there is a lot of value in seeing the evolution of Foley’s act, with this film feeling like a mixture of a sitcom and a sketch show.

The film packs in a lot in its 1 hour and half runtime, such as Bo’s early life with his parents. The various dream sequences, as the idealist, do humorously fill the time. Once it gets going, the film locks into the caper. While doing so, it dons a lot of classic pulpy villains and clichés that help send up the pulp parody pop. Although some wider shots are taken of the then-recent hippy subculture, Bo’s uncle’s addictions are also a source of frequent comedy.

High Stakes does feel as lofty as its title, even if it is a far cry from the groundbreaking work that Foley will go on to do, but there’s absolutely nothing here that the cast should be ashamed of. The film is a fine spoof of the genre, that amps up the silly as it does the Nazi gold. While getting a hold of the film is certainly a task, if you know where to look you can find tapes circulating, and with the distribution rights lost, this looks like the only way for the foreseeable future. Even if Foley doesn’t hold the gig in high regard, with such a promising future career on the line, the stakes were worth it.

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