The Blues Brothers

Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Ray Charles, Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Aretha Franklin
Directed by: John Landis
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Comedy, Musical
1980

Times Seen:
Tim: 3

Summary: Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) Blues try to reunite their old band to put on a one-night gig to save the orphanage where they grew up. Along the way, they are chased by police officers and wide variety of assorted people all bent on getting revenge.

Review:

Tim: The Blues Brothers is one of those movies that is both excellent, and a very, very entertaining movie. A large percentage of "great" movies are the types that you can't watch on a regular basis. Either they are too emotionally exhausting, or you just need breaks in between viewings. The Blues Brothers is the type of movie I could watch weekly, and not get sick of it. That says a great deal about the entertainment level of the film.

The movie is helped by terrific performances. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are so, so much fun. As Jake and Elwood, they are incredibly memorable. These two characters are so great. Their dialogue is absolutely perfect. They don't have a great deal of speeches, but every word they say is the right word at the right time. The cast also includes small performances from some of music's greatest stars- James Brown, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin also make appearances.

The film has some incredibly memorable scenes. Every song is just excellent. Then you have the multitude of car chases, the "mission from God" revelation, the diner scene, The Sister Mary Stigmata scene, and so many more. Especially great is the climactic "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" scene. Truth be told, the entire film is memorable.

I could go into much, much more detail, but I believe I've conveyed the point. The Blues Brothers is one of those rare cinematic gems that makes you glad you watch movies. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Blues Brothers 2000