Review of Trading Places (1983) by Marischa B — 04 Dec 2011

In the early 80s Hollywood was obsessed with the uber-rich and so produced a large array of films both serious and comical on the subject. Trading Places has a good premise, a sort of updated version of the bet had in Pygmalion, only with darker undertones.

Unfortunately the film does not live up to this interesting premise due to poor writing, stock characters and predictable plot developments, which can best be described as sit-com level. There are a few decent gags IE the Jacuzzi, or the moment when Aykroyd's girlfriend surreptitiously sprays the man next to her (which I think is the funniest moment in the film) but not that many, certainly not enough to compensate for the one-dimensional writing. Eddie Murphy puts on a blazer and almost immediately becomes house proud and a financial wizard. It's ludicrous but not in a funny way. Aykroyd, who unlike Murphy, at least has a back story, lucks into a tart with a heart. Then there's a stock English butler, some stock elite club snobs and a couple of stock villains.

The finale is a complete mess actually the mood of the film suddenly in attempt to produce a Pink Panther-like farce sequence complete with comedy gorilla and hilarious ethnics.