Viewed in
2010
Formats
HD TV
Premise
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star as two brothers on a mission from God to save an orphanage by raising $5000 through music.
Loved
Great music from some of the greatest American musicians ever.
Liked
Some of the ridiculous comedy and silly chase scenes.
Disliked
Overdone action scenes.
Thoughts
Not perfect, but it's probably the greatest musical action-comedy of all time.
My favorite part was the music. It was shocking to see such an awesome lineup of greats: James Brown, Aretha Franklin (before she ate herself, and then ate that one too), Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker. Add their performances to the background music throughout, and you've got yourself a nice history lesson on old school blues and soul.
As for the rest of the cast, it was mind-boggling good as well. John Belushi proved to be a great screen presence, this time with a more subdued, dynamic performance. And how in the world did nobody tell me that Carrie Fisher was in this? She was hilarious as the heat-packing scorned-woman. After the film, I checked out the remaining cast online and was astounded by who I didn't recognize when watching. Noticed Paul Reubens and John Candy. Missed Twiggy, Steven Spielberg, and Mr. T.
Another strong suit in the film were silly chase scenes that would make The Pink Panther jealous. These chases reinvented the phrase "over the top". I laughed out (incredulously) as dozens of police cars piled up on one another, and when one crashed into a semi. My favorite moment, arguably the greatest ending to a car chase, was when a car breaks down when the pursuit had finished.
Unfortunately, these car chases were also my least favorite part of the film. It's funny when it's over-the-top, but boring when it's overdone. The film makers forgot comedy fundamentals of knowing when to end a joke. All the repetitive car pile ups and obligatory crashed kiosks caused the film to really drag.
The story was decent enough, with a simple plot that was not too preposterous. Some of the subplots were ridiculous (Fisher's nonsensical scenes), and there were some noticeable plot holes (why a band would show up past showtime, unless as a mistaken identity plot device). In pursuit were cops, good ole' boys, and most convenient of all, the Nazis.
It might have been my imagination, but during Aretha Franklin's performance, the audio looked out of sync?
The music, cast, and performances were classic, however the endless chases scenes prevent me from declaring this entertaining film as such.
What I would change
Shortened each car chase scene by 20%.
