The Blues Brothers (1980)
TOMATOMETER
AUDIENCE SCORE
Critic 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.
The Blues Brothers Videos & Photos
Movie Info
Expanding on their Saturday Night Live characters, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star as Jake and Elwood Blues, two white boys with black soul. Sporting cool shades and look-alike suits, Jake and Elwood are dispatched on a "mission from God" by their former teacher, Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman). Said mission is to raise $5000 to save an orphanage. In the course of their zany adventures, the Blues Brothers run afoul of neo-Nazi Henry Gibson, perform the theme from Rawhide before the … More
| Rating: | R (adult situations/language) |
| Genre: | Action & Adventure, Comedy |
| Directed By: | John Landis |
| Written By: | Dan Aykroyd, John Landis |
| In Theaters: | Jun 20, 1980 Wide |
| On DVD: | Aug 30, 2005 |
| Runtime: |
People Who Like this movie also like
Cast
as "Joliet" Jake Blues
as Elwood Blues
as Reverend Cleophus Ja...
as Curtis
as Mystery Woman
as Ray
as Mrs. Murphy
as Nazi Leader
as Burton Mercer
as Street Slim
as Murph
as Steve `The Colonel' ...
as Himself
as Himself
as Willie `Too Big' Hal...
as `Bones' Malone
as `Blue' Lou Marini
as Matt `Guitar' Murphy
as Corrections Officer
as Sister Mary Stigmata
as Trooper Daniel
as Trooper Mount
as Tucker McElroy
as Maury Slime
as Chic Lady
as Cook County Clerk
as Charming Trooper
as Trooper La Fong
as Man in Toy Store
as The Cheese Whiz
as Fire Commissioner
as Mrs. Tarantino
as Police Commissioner
as Police Captain
as Cocktail Waitress
as Waiter
as Father
as Daughter #2
as Daughter #3
as Nazi
as Nazi
as Tampa Pete
as Bob
as Young Guitar Thief
as Drunk Dancer
as Good Ole Boy
as Good Ole Boy
as Orphan
as Police Dispatcher
as Lobby Guard #2
as Nazi
as Mr. Fabulous
as Choir Soloist
as Prisoner
as Man at Bar
Friend Ratings
No Friends? Inconceivable! Log in to see what your friends have to say.
LoginCritic Reviews for The Blues Brothers
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (7) | DVD (32)
The film retains a huge nostalgic kick, thanks in large part to Aykroyd and Belushi's easy rapport, a smattering of daft, shaggy humour and some truly iconic musical sequences.
A demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic.
Given all the chaos, director and, with Aykroyd, cowriter, John Landis manages to keep things reasonably controlled and in a straight line.
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.
lightning in a bottle created more than 30 years ago
A dazzlingly enjoyable, memorable road trip of comedy and music from two of SNL's best.
Audience Reviews for The Blues Brothers
Over time The Blues Brothers has grown in stature to become a cult classic. Separated from the storied Hollywood backstory it's easy to see why. The chronicle is host to a plethora of cameos including R&B legends Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and James Brown. The love the filmmakers have for this music is obvious. The production numbers are buoyant and sensational featuring a cast of hundreds dancing with a joie de vivre rarely captured on screen. Aretha Franklin's performs "Think" as a warning to her husband in a diner and the moment is miraculous. Granted the plot of this overlong 135 minute extravaganza is simplistic in the extreme. The story is essentially an an ever escalating car chase that includes the Chicago police force, Illinois state troopers, a parade of Nazi's, an outraged country & western band, and Jake's jilted girlfriend (Carrie Fisher). But heck if the whole thing isn't enjoyable fun. Laying waste to the greater Chicago area never felt so joyous....or soulful.
fastfilmreviews.com
Super Reviewer
The Blues Brothers is an iconic film and I had wanted to see it for a very long time, but never got around to it, and I am glad I finally did. This is an excellent comedy that is brilliantly acted and directed and it has many memorable moments that standout. The pairing of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi is terrific, and they have great chemistry. The film blends well thought out comedy with an entertaining musical numbers that are far better than any other musical film that I have seen. I must confess I never was the biggest fan of musicals, I found them to be average at best, entertaining depending on what was written in the script, but never anything memorable either. With the Blues Brothers, it's quite different, there are enough moments of dialogue here to compliment the musical numbers, and it makes for a truly engaging film that is entertaining from start to finish. I really enjoyed the film, it was a finely executed blend of comedy and music and it has to rank among one of the finest genre films ever made. The script is solid, and thoroughly entertaining, and the viewer is sucked into its humorous and memorable plot that is elevated by Aykroyd's and Belushi screen chemistry. Something simple goes a long way, and in the case of this film, it proves exactly right. The Blues Brothers in terms of story is nothing elaborate, but where it stands out, are the performances by its leads. The chemistry between the two lead actors is what elevates the simple plot to greatness and it's a fun; entertaining picture that in the long run is a memorable piece of comedy. The Blues Brothers is a must see film, a terrific performance by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi , of which Belushi delivers a highly memorable performance, one that defined his sadly too short career.
Super Reviewer
[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]
This cult classic is both funny and full of quirky charm, despite it's unnecessary length, and a few of it's comedy sketches going to desperately over the top, which consequently misfires some of the gags. However, it's the comedic chemistry and energy shared between Dan Aykroyd and the hilarious late John Belushi that makes it work, along with of course, the catchy soundtrack. It's not a solid movie, in fact it's one of the messiest comedies i've ever watched, but I dont care, it's your rare stupid comedy that ends up being lot of fun to watch.
Super Reviewer
The Blues Brothers Quotes
| Elwood: | Illinois Nazis |
| Joliet Jake: | I hate Illinois Nazis! |
| Elwood: | Wasn't lies, it was just... bullshit. |
| Joliet Jake: | We need $5000 bucks fast! |
| Maury Sline: | 5 grand? Who do you think you are, the Beatles? |
| Elwood: | There's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark out, and we're wearing sunglasses. |
| Joliet Jake: | Hit it! |
Discussion Forum
Discuss The Blues Brothers on our Movie forum!
