The Blues Brothers (1980)

User Review

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  d_riptide

  8 / 10

  Often cited as one of the greatest musicals of all time, “Blues Brothers” represents a radical shift in the musical genre and remains such a iconic staple to the city of Chicago. Having taken a look at the sequel that unfortunately tarnished the legacy the first film set up, it only seemed fair to head back to where it all started and check if there was any such value—
  
  Ok, enough beating around the bush. Yes, I enjoyed this.
  
  
  With electrifying chemistry between every single one of its stars, it’s hard to really dispute any of these guys prowesses as performers, entertainers or comedians, especially since there’s a visible tongue-in-cheek appeal to its comedy that it’s follow up clearly doesn’t have, causing me to chuckle more times than I anticipated. Compared to its successor, this one seemed to have the right mix of absurdity and slapstick to their comedic timings and the performances highlight that wonderfully.
  
  
  As a love-letter to Chicago, disguised as a road picture, the grimyness of late 70s Industrial Chicago and it's seedy underbelly become almost a character in their own right, pacing is sublime, costumes were done pretty well with tight consistent cinematography and editing throughout.
  
  
  Not only a mixture of urban sleaze and blackheart rhythm and blues, it’s also one of the best examples of the encapsulation behind what makes, if not a good comedy, then an entertaining one. I do agree that the film can be too rambunctious and over the top for its own good a lot of time but the film embraces its ridiculousness thanks to the ecstatic atmosphere, charming cast involved and highly captivating musical numbers, most of which bop hard. Not to mention look at how well choreographed and sudden these car chases and crashes are; some of the best I’ve ever seen.
  
  Most of the films nitpicks and issues can be viewed as easily dissmissable to it being part of the overarching SNL gimmick being carried over. Won’t win points for authenticity or realism either.
  
  
  
  
  Yes, one could say that the film has gotten incredibly dated in recent years but for John Landis and Dan Aykroyd to create a musical that exploits and throws in famous musicians and actors just for the hell of it and then throw in a threadbare improbable storyline that then proceeds to pile overkill on top of overkill, it really should not have worked.
  
  But it did and honestly, it’s the one of the most fun times I’ve had watching a movie.

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