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Night Shift (1982)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 19
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 0

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Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 8,000

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Movie Info

Straight-laced Henry Winkler takes a night-shift job as a morgue attendant. Winkler falls under the spell of wheeler-dealer coworker Michael Keaton, whose catchphrase "Is this a great country or what?" is the clarion call for his many get-rich-quick schemes. His latest plan is to turn the morgue into a nocturnal brothel, for the benefit of anything-goes hooker Shelley Long-and incidentally, to line their own pockets. Director Ron Howard and his frequent scripters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Ron Howard

In Theaters: Jul 30, 1982 Wide

On DVD: Jun 5, 2001

Warner Home Video

Night Shift Trailer & Photos

Cast

Henry Winkler
Chuck Lumley
Michael Keaton
Bill Blazejowski
Shelley Long
Belinda Keaton
Gina Hecht
Charlotte Koogle
Pat Corley
Edward Koogle
Bobby Di Cicco
Leonard
Nita Talbot
Vivian
Basil Hoffman
Drollhauser
Tim Rossovich
Luke
Clint Howard
Jefferey
Joe Spinell
Manetti
Richard Belzer
Pig
Beau Billingslea
Donny
Grand L. Bush
Mustafa
Cheryl Carter
Tanya
Brett Baxter Clark
Paradise Doorman
Corki Corman
Sylvia
Kevin Costner
Frat Boy
Ashley Cox
Jenny Lynn
Reid Cruickshanks
Sgt. Averbach
Badja Djola
Cleon
Shannen Doherty
Bluebird
Dawn Dunlap
Maxine
Charles Fleischer
Prisoner
Monique Gabrielle
Tessie
Cassandra Gava
J.J.
Becky Gonzalez
Lupe
Jim Greenleaf
Frat Boy #4
Ildiko Jaid
Joyce
Jeremy Lawrence
Frat Boy
Ava Lazar
Sharon
Julius Le Flore
Franklin
Floyd Levine
Sal Carboni
Horace Long
Turkey Man
Jeanne Mori
Marsha
Jack Perkins
Tuttle
James Ritz
Morgue Worker
Jim Staahl
Red
Leonard Termo
K.C. Winkler
Cheryl
John Boyle
Leopard Boy
Vincent Schiavelli
Carl
Elizabeth Carder
Dolores
Mimi Lieber
Linda
Ola Ray
Dawn
Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Robbin Young
Nancy
Marc Flanagan
Steve
Jane Jenkins
Russell Forte
Frat Boy #3
Hugo Napier
Blind Man
Tom Mahoney
Judge

Critic Reviews for Night Shift

All Critics (20) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (1) | DVD (3)

This is a halfway funny movie, one that's got loads of good gags in its first half and nothing but trouble in its second.

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

This isn't as snappily directed or as caustically conceived as the subsequent Risky Business, which has a similar theme, but it's arguably just as sexy and almost as funny.

March 21, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Oft fun comedy noted for its boost to Michael Keaton's career; early Ron Howard direction.

October 23, 2008 Comment

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Winkler turns in the best performance of his career, and Keaton is wonderful.

February 5, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

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TV Guide's Movie Guide

Likeable.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Tom Milne

Time Out

'Love brokers!' Still Michael Keaton's best role.

October 28, 2005 Comment

Pete Vonder Haar

Film Threat

This early Ron Howard comedy has no shortage of laugh-out-loud moments thanks to Michael Keaton's unforgettable screen debut as manic wildman Bill Blazejowski.

October 21, 2005 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Keaton's first major role marked him for stardom; and also added to Howard's newly forming directorial stature.

November 16, 2004 Comment

Bob Bloom

Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Howard's first great film. Should have made Winkler a movie star, but alas....

December 12, 2003 Comment

Eric Lurio

Greenwich Village Gazette

When Michael Keaton's onscreen it's wildly entertaining.

September 18, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Dated comedy offers very little in the chuckle department, with even less in narrative obstruction, but remains interesting only for the early work of now-famed director Ron Howard.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium

| Comment

JoBlo

JoBlo's Movie Emporium

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Night Shift

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Picture Risky Business in a morgue. Night Shift is funny and has the best message, everyone is their own pimp.

January 18, 2011

Alexis Nomm

Super Reviewer

A very funny movie with an interesting cast, I really liked it.

September 6, 2010

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

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