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Vibes is a quirky 1988 American romantic comedy adventure film directed by Ken Kwapis. It's about Nick Deezy (Jeff Goldblum), a psychometrist working at a museum, and Sylvia Pickel (Cyndi Lauper), a medium with a Deadpan Snarker spirit guide named Louise. Meeting at a study for psychics, the two take a nearly instant dislike to each other.

Nick and Sylvia are hired by Harry Buscafusco (Peter Falk) to travel with him to Ecuador to find his missing son. However, Nick quickly deduces that something isn't right, and Harry confesses that what he's actually after is the lost City of Gold.


This film provides examples of:

  • Astral Projection: Sylvia can do this with Louise's help. It's hard for her to come back, though.
  • Belligerent Sexual Tension: Nick and Sylvia are an almost textbook case. Naturally, they hook up at the end.
  • City of Gold: What everyone is searching for. It turns out that the "gold" is actually a psychic weapon, not a metal.
  • Defensive Failure: Subverted at the end. Nick has Dr. Steele held at bay with an M-16.
    Dr. Steele: Have you handled a machine gun before?
    Dr. Steele (starts inching forward): They can be very tricky, Nicky.
    (Nick points the gun up and fires a few bursts into the air. Steele instantly jumps backwards to where he started.)
    Nick: Not that tricky.
  • Dirty Object Reading: Nick can read the history of anything he can touch. Great for making use of a MacGuffin. Not so great given what people do whenever they think others will never know about it.
    Nick: This is cold. Right out of the package. Never been used. (sets the knife down and picks up another)
    Male Professor: Amazing.
    Nick: This is from the cafeteria here at the college. Oh, remind me not to eat here. (he sets it down and picks up another knife) This is… oh God… oh Jesus…
    Female Professor: Yes?
    Nick: (throws down the knife) A woman… her husband's back… eight…nine times!
    Female Professor: Yes, we know.
    Nick: You know? How could you give that to me? Don't you know how hard it is for me to have to see things like that?!
    Male Professor: We have to test you. In science…
    Nick: Now I won't be able to sleep! What a sight! His… oh… (lowers his head to the table but then suddenly lifts it back up) Someone has had sex on this table.
    (the professors glance at each other guiltily)
    Female Professor: Thank you Mr. Deezy, that will be enough for today.
  • Fantastic Nuke: The Lost City's psychic weapon.
  • I See Dead People: Well, a dead person, anyway. Sylvia's guide Louise is a ghost. Through Louise, she can contact the spirits of other dead people.
  • Mayincatec: The Lost City is very much "Hollywood South American Native."
  • Psychic Powers: Naturally. Not only are the main characters psychics of two different flavors, but the people of the Lost City used them as a Fantastic Nuke.
  • Wham Line: "HARRY?!"note 


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