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Car Wash (1976)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 21
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 3

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 0

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liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 7,724

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Movie Info

Michael Schultz directed this kinetic, hyperventilating comedy (scripted by Joel Schumacher) concerning the crazed events that go on within a single 10-hour period at a Los Angeles car wash. The cast of colorful car-wash employees includes Lonnie (Ivan Dixon), an ex-con; Duane (Bill Duke), a militant black activist; and Lindy (Antonio Fargas), an obnoxious homosexual. Sully Boyar plays Mr. B, the frazzled car-wash owner who has to deal with his screwball employees along with his over-educated

PG, 1 hr. 37 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Michael Schultz

Written By: Joel Schumacher

In Theaters: Oct 22, 1976 Wide

On DVD: Apr 7, 1998

Cast

Franklyn Ajaye
T.C.
Sully Boyar
Mr. b.
Richard Brestoff
Irwin
George Carlin
Taxi Driver
Irwin Corey
Mad bomber
Ivan Dixon
Lonnie
Bill Duke
Duane
Antonio Fargas
Lindy
Michael Fennell
Calvin
Arthur French
Charlie
Lorraine Gary
Hysterical Lady/ Miss B...
Darrow Igus
Floyd
Leonard Jackson
Earl
DeWayne Jessie
Lloyd
Lauren Jones
Marleen
Jack Kehoe
Scruggs
Henry Kingi
Goody
Melanie Mayron
Marsha
Garrett Morris
Slide
Clarence Muse
Snapper
Leon Pinkney
Justin
The Pointer Sisters
The Wilson Sisters
Richard Pryor
Daddy Rich
Tracy Reed
Mona
Pepe Serna
Chuco
James Spinks
Hippo
Ray Vitte
Geronimo
Ren Woods
Loretta
Jason Bernard
Parole Officer
Erin Blunt
Lonnie's Son
Carmine Caridi
Foolish Father
Danny DeVito
Ben Frommer
Sarina C. Grant
Newscaster
Bonnie Pointer
Otis Sistrunk
Otis
Tim Thomerson
Ken
J.J. Jackson
2nd PM Disc Jockey
Anita Pointer
June Pointer
Ruth Pointer
Jay Butler
AM Disc Jockey
Derek Schultz
Foolish Father's Son
Antonie Becker
Charlene
Reginald H. Farmer
John Linson
Joel Schumacher

Critic Reviews for Car Wash

All Critics (21) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (3) | DVD (2)

Uses gritty humor to polish clean the souls of a lot of likeable street people.

June 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

A cheerful, somewhat vulgar, very cleverly executed comedy...

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

The screenplay and the direction juggle the characters so adroitly, this is almost a wash-and-wax M*A*S*H.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Critics seemed to like this less than audiences; personally, I had a ball.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Car Wash marks the point at which defiant blaxploitation turned decisively into upbeat crossover entertainment.

August 21, 2009 Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

| Comment

Rob Nelson

City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Norman Whitfield's great musical score is integrated into the movement of the scenes to give the film a funky rhythm.

June 23, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

It was both a riot and surprisingly had something poignant to say about race relations.

January 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Highly enjoyable.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Tom Milne

Time Out

Surprisingly good ensemble comedy with Antonio Fargas a standout.

August 24, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Funny antics with great cast

June 7, 2003 Comment

Jon Niccum

Lawrence Journal-World

There's no plot as such, just a collection of gags, issues and themes...

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

One of the best of its ilk.

July 26, 2002 Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Car Wash

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Not quite what I expected from what I'd heard about it, but it's a good movie. It has some really funny scenes, and good music.

September 6, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

One star for five minutes of Richard Pryor! The rest is quite boring.

September 29, 2009

Anthony Lawrie

Super Reviewer

Car Wash Quotes

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1. Lindy: Who you calling sorry looking?
– Submitted by PW E (5 months ago)
1. Goody: She got her brains in her lungs.
2. Slide: Then the bitch must be a GENIUS!
– Submitted by PW E (5 months ago)

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