Trading Places is a movie that I had not heard much about
prior to my first viewing of it a few days ago.
I have always been a big fan of both Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, but I
just was not sure what kind of movie it was.
I am very pleased to report that I flat-out loved this movie.
Trading Places is the story of two people who have their lives reversed because of a bet by two millionaires. This movie is ripe with twists and turns that
will leave you in stitches. The “drunk
Santa” sequence with Aykroyd made my sides hurt because I was laughing so
hard. The brilliant thing about this
movie, however, is that when Aykroyd and Murphy find out what is really going
on, the movie becomes downright hilarious.
Dan Aykroyd plays Louis Winthorpe. Winthorpe is a rich prick, and he enjoys
every minute of it. He is rich, greedy,
rides in fancy cars, gets waited on, and he loves every minute of it. Aykroyd is able to pull this off in a way
that makes you completely hate his character at the beginning of the movie,
while at the same time you sympathize what happens to him.
Eddie Murphy plays Billy Ray Valentine. Valentine is a con-artist who is pretending
to be a blind, wounded war veteran so that people will give him money. Once the “switch” happens, he cannot believe
all that he has inherited, even going so far as to voluntarily break his own
things. Murphy is great in the role,
making you very eager to see what he does next.
John Landis is the director.
Having seen his other films, I knew exactly what kind of movie this was
going to be. He understands comedy very
well, keeping the camera on the actors just in case they improvise
something. He also uses the city as a
character in the movie very well.
Trading Places is a gem of a movie. If you love comedy, more specifically 80’s
comedy, you will enjoy this movie very much.
I just wish Aykroyd was doing more movies these days instead of doing TV
commercials.
