A monument to waste, noise and misplaced cool, but it does have its engagingly nutty moments.
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:45
Fresh:38
Rotten:7
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers.
Runtime: 4 hrs 41 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: In roles made famous by their famed SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi star as Ellwood and Jake Blues in this extremely entertaining and successful comedy. Upon Jake's release... In roles made famous by their famed SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE skit, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi star as Ellwood and Jake Blues in this extremely entertaining and successful comedy. Upon Jake's release from prison, the brothers are reunited and visit the orphanage they grew up in--only to discover that it is in danger of being shut down by the county for failure to pay taxes. With a little help from James Brown as a revival preacher, the Blues Brothers are divinely inspired to raise the $5,000 that the orphanage needs to stay open. On their mission from God, they must reunite their old band and raise the money by playing various gigs around town. The wild adventures of the band include dodging evil neo-Nazis, playing in a rowdy redneck bar, and narrowly escaping the crazed Carrie Fisher as Jake's ex-fiancée, who is out to see him dead. Finally, the boys have to get to a gig at the Palace Hotel Ballroom and deliver the $5,000 to the county assessor's office--leading to one of the most wild and hysterical car-chase smash-ups in film history. John Landis has spiced this wonderful romp with fabulous rhythm-and-blues numbers from such greats as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, and Ray Charles. [More]
Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway
Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Kathleen Freeman, Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson
Director: John Landis
Director: John Landis
Screenwriter: Dan Aykroyd, John Landis
Producer: Robert K. Weiss
Composer: Elmer Bernstein
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Reviews for The Blues Brothers
An inspired combination of wild comedy, a demented car chase, a double act that dovetails beautifully and terrific music, The Blues Brothers comfortably survives the test of time.
Full of belly-laughs as well as toe-tappingly great tunes, the sharp suits and cool shades of the Blues brothers will have you rocking with joy.
An undisciplined, overlong tale that substitutes spectacle and star cameos (Twiggy, Steven Spielberg, etc) for a coherent narrative.
The humor is predicated on underplaying in overscaled situations, which is sporadically funny in a Keaton-esque way but soon sputters out through sheer, uninspired repetition.
I have never been quite sure why this $30 million comedy made by John Landis in 1980 became such a cult.
Context is crucial: This messy, self-indulgent comedy was made at the height of SNL and Muppet Show, catapulting to pop-culture icon status Belushi, Aykroyd and Candy, though best moments are those of performers like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.
The Blues Brothers is packed with lively music, fantastic chase sequences and nonstop slapstick comedy.
This essentially modest movie is reported to have cost about $30 million, and what did all that money buy? Scores of car crashes. Too many extras. Overstaged dance numbers. And a hollowness that certainly didn't come cheap.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
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