Review of Moving Violations (1985) by Jake S — 09 Jul 2013

Decades have passed since the last time I saw Moving Violations, and this time, I watched it in my quest to find Eighties comedies that I either haven't seen in a long time, or heaven't seen at all.

I remembered it being a fun movie. Is it (still) any good? Totally! It's a silly, light-hearted comedy about a bunch of people who have to go to driving school due to acquired traffic violations, lead by slacker-joker Dana Cannon, played by John Murray.

Neal Israel directed it right after Bachelor Party, so the vibe is the same, and John Murray acts a bit like Tom Hanks did in Bachelor Party, but even more like his brother Bill. It's an ensemble comedy where our group of lovable misfits - consisting of such comedic clichés as a hypochondriac, half-blind granny, family man, horror enthusiast, artist and our main guy's love interest - have to pass their tests in spite of evil cops who just happen to be driving school teachers.

So, it's a bit like Bachelor Party, a bit like Police Academy, it's a little comedy with a lot of heart and you can tell that the cast had fun filming this. A nice slice of the Eighties, and a fun, enjoyable ride; pun intended.

One of those movies you can watch many times, ideal for lazy afternoons or a as a bedtime flick. Highly recommended for fans of the decade. Highlight: Jennifer Tilly is really cute in this one. And for movie trivia nerds, this title is full of siblings of famous actors, famous actors at the beginning of their careers, and Fred Willard.