Trading Places is definitely a film of its time; when it was OK to laugh at people being called nigger, the world couldn't get enough of Eddie Murphy swearing or laughing, and Jamie Lee Curtis still looked good naked. I remember this film being really funny when I was a lot younger, but I didn't find it that funny now at all; there was one laugh out loud moment, but I can't remember what it was. Nice idea to swap a guy living on the streets for a successful stock trader, but I think these days the film just looks tired, and is full of too many clichés, though they probably weren't so clichéd in 1983. It even stars
There is something charming about this film that makes me go back to it time and time again. I think it is the very 1980s setting and theme, as well as the comedy dynamic between Aykroyd and Murphy. I also love the sensibilities of director John Landis.
ReplyDeleteI think that I used to think that, but on this viewing I just didn't find it that funny. Maybe I was tired, it was on late at night!
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