Review of The Blues Brothers (1980) by Joshua S — 26 Feb 2010

I've long wanted to see The Blues Brothers, but for whatever reason it became one of the those movies that you just kind of forget about. Thankfully, between a slow day at work and Netflix Watch Instantly, I was finally able to scratch my itch.

I'm glad I did, because The Blues Brothers is a hell of a ride. It starts off moodily, setting the scene among the smokestacks of Chicago. Easily one of my favorite sequences in the entire movie is the release of "Joliet" Jake Blues (John Belushi) from prison.

John Landis stages it well and it is shot expertly. Once the title sequences kicked in I knew I was in for a hell of a ride. I knew the basic premise of the movie, having put together bits and pieces I'd gathered over the years, but even then I still found it a rich and enjoyable experience.

The script is sharp and funny and filled with characters you instantly root for. One of The Blues Brothers biggest strengths is its music, which bodes well for the movie since it is a musical after all, and I always looked forward to a musical number starting up and seeing what classic music legend would pop up.

Even at its long running time (2 hrs. 13 mins, unconventional for a comedy not directed by Judd Apatow) the movie paces itself well. There's not much I can say that hasn't already been said, as the movie is now 30-years-old, but I want to give an enthusiastic recommendation to anyone who, like me, has yet to see this comedy classic.