Ruthless People (1986)

80's hidden gem. Rude, crude and very funny. Danny DeVito on top form, Bill Pullman is fantastic playing the idiot. Watch it

Fmovies: This may well be the funniest American film of the 1980's, with nonstop laughs from beginning to end. The pace of the film is almost exhausting, your throat will be sore from laughing yourself silly. It's closer in style to British farce than probably any other American film I can think of. It also sports a great ensemble cast. This was Bette Midler's *real* comeback. And Danny DeVito is delightfully nasty. Probably of best note is an early role for Bill Pullman, who is the brain-dead boy-toy lover of Anita Morris' character. Not to be missed by comedy fans, but make sure you see the uncut version (on cable or video).

It's a tight script for Touchstone, a comedy of errors where three plots and serial killer meet in a happy end.

I saw this during its original release and loved it. I still love it. It's nice to see a movie without a lot of toilet humour and f-bombs. The dialog is filled with memorable lines but the humour is in knowing what the characters don't and the on screen charisma of Di Vito and Middler.

Pay attention and you'll see the L.A. cityscape during the 80's along with all that was bad in 80's design along with Santa Monica Pier before the redesign in the 90's.

Great film for a rain day or a bad mood.

Ruthless People fmovies. I saw this film in the theatre when it was released in 1986. I have been to a lot of movies, and this is the only one that I HAD to see again--just to hear the lines that had been drowned out by the audience's laughter!

Often a movie's previews will give away all the funny lines of a movie, and I remember that the previews for "Ruthless People" gave away the classic "I've been kidnapped by KMart" line. But for once, there were so many hysterically funny moments in this movie that it didn't matter. It's just that funny.

So if you haven't seen it, you really are missing something. Rent it and be prepared to hurt your sides laughing.

"Ruthless People" has one of the best premises in film comedy history.

Spandex miniskirt millionaire Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) plans to kill his battle axe wife (Bette Midler) for her inheritance. However, his plan is put on hold when she is kidnapped and held for ransom. The kidnappers threaten to kill her if Sam doesn't pay, which is a-o.k. with Sam, and means he doesn't have to do his own dirty work. But the kidnappers (Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater) are too kind hearted to follow through with what they start. Meanwhile, Sam's floozy mistress (a smokin' Anita Morris) knows about Sam's plans, and sends her doofus boyfriend (Bill Pullman) out to videotape what he thinks is Sam killing his wife so that they can blackmail him.

This is a lot of plot to cram into a brisk 90 minutes, but this well written film never feels forced or rushed. Every scene conveys something important either for the story or about one of the characters, and not a moment feels wasted. The ensemble is terrific, each actor landing his/her jokes without fail. The standouts, though, are Bette Midler, who gives an outrageously vulgar performance pitched to the third balcony; and Judge Reinhold, who gives the film its heart.

One of the most quotable movies ever, the film also boasts a great opening credits sequence, one more reason to lament the fact that movies hardly ever have opening credits anymore.

Grade: A+

Bette Midler, Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater all mixed and matched perfectly in this film about one loud and obnoxious woman. Hilarious in its implementation, the way the lives of the characters unfold in a funny and unpredictable manner. If you haven't seen this classic comedy, then get a whiff of this film, just to see the genius of DeVito and Midler in their primes. While the humor may be a little dated, it still offers some fairly clean fun for all to enjoy.