It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The acting in this movie is really good.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker once again pull out all the stops with this multi-layered comedy featuring one absurd surprise after another. The general plot has two kidnappers (Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater) taking the wife of a mini-skirt spandex king for ransom. A greater motivation is behind the kidnapping: Slater was actually the one who came up with the mini-skirt spandex idea, but Danny Devito betrayed her with a crooked handshake! What Reinhold and Slater didn't anticipate was that Devito hates his wife (Bette Midler, in ferocious form), has a piece on the side (luscious red head Anita Morris), and had previously planned to have her abducted and killed himself! This has as good a comic cast as the 80s could provide: Slater is so adorable as the sweet wife who really was hesitant about the kidnap job, Reinhold's eyes are working overtime (this is a case where eyes produce some animated expressions, as Midler also bugs those bad boys in opportune moments) as are his funny reactions to one complex situation after another, Devito's facial expressions to the highs and lows that the plot provides are pure gold, the running gag of the police chief (William G Schilling) caught shagging a hooker (who agrees to make loud noises to arouse her client, ultimately sounding like she is being killed!) and Anita Morris (who keeps calling him, not realizing it was him in the car instead of Devito!) produces some uproarious dialogues, and Bill Pullman (his hair colored blood and costume imitating Sonny Crocket from Miami Vice!), as Morris' *other* lover, is as moronic as they come.How Midler bonds with Slater after the comment of weight loss (Midler spends her past time while in the basement, chained, working out to exercise videos!), Slater's talent at fashion designing (well, 80s fashion design), Reinhold's "bargaining down" the ransom price of Midler ("I've been kidnapped by K-mart!), the sex tape of the chief of police getting eyes from a number of television sets in an electronic store thanks to Pullman's miscalculation, Pullman believing Devito was killing a girl instead of the chief banging a call girl causing him to get queasy, Midler getting quite intense (her Rocky training, you could say) working out in the basement, Pullman's rather clueless attempt to steal from Reinhold (in clown mask) as the police tell him to stop, Devito's joy when it appears his wife is kidnapped and could be killed, Midler kicking Devito's ass while the cops walk away believing their marriage is on solid ground, and Reinhold's electronics salesman scenes (his dialogue about big speakers twice gets amusing results; one is equated to sexual compensation, another nearly lands an impressionable teenager with a pregnant girlfriend, overpriced speakers they certainly couldn't afford to be stuck with) all provide a wealth of inspired hilarity, spirited exchanges, and clever touches here and there. Ultimately, seeing Devito get his comeuppance makes for a satisfying finish. Midler is almost Devito's equal in terms of how the dialogue explodes off their face and rumbles volcanically from their voice. A strong 80s example of the right actors with the right kind of material at the right time. How the film inserts so many moving parts and yet ties them together where Devito is trapped in an ever-increasing bind is actually quite brilliant!

Bel-Air clothing tycoon Danny DeVito (as Sam Stone) pops his cork when he discovers loud-mouthed wife Bette Midler (as Barbara) has been kidnapped. The ruthless Mr. DeVito was planning to murder her, anyway – now, he can simply let abductors kill filthy-rich Ms. Midler, then collect her side of the family fortune. This forces kidnappers Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater (as Ken and Sandy Kessler) to change their plans. They picked the millionaire couple because DeVito's business stole Ms. Slater's idea to manufacture spandex mini-skirts. Meanwhile, DeVito's sexy mistress Anita Morris (as Carol Dodsworth) and her handsome but dumb lover Bill Pullman (as Earl Mott) plan to blackmail DeVito for murdering Ms. Midler, unaware she has been kidnapped..."Ruthless People" is generally successful at creating vulgar fun with the plot, nicely developed by Dale Launer. It is sourced to an "O. Henry" story, but is reminiscent of both "Too Many Crooks" (1959) and "The Happening" (1967). Like the earlier films, "Ruthless People" has a strong added value in that it accurately captures something – perhaps unintentionally – about the decade in which it was released. For many, this was the 1980s. A film with three credited directors, it nevertheless runs smoothly. However, nobody noticed Midler's bagged stunt-person was not overweight. Also, how many time does anyone, however stupid, send a VHS tape without watching it – if only to see if it recorded successfully? Everything wraps up cleverly on the Santa Monica Pier.******* Ruthless People (6/27/86) Zucker-Abrahams ~ Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater

So I revisited 1986's Ruthless People, well was it good I have to ehhh. I remember this movie being funny when I was a kid and when it was on the other day, I started watching it and just kept going until the end. This movie had two things going for it the almost always awesome Danny Devito and the very underrated Judge Reinhold (I wish his career would have lasted). It was directed by Jim Abrahams and David Zucker who gave us the comedy classic Airplane. This movie is no classic though. It has its moments but overall is forgettable, unless you want to see the cheesiest aspects of 1980's culture similar to the 1970's culture you would see in the recently reviewed "Saturday Night Fever", you can probably skip this one and download Airplane instead. if you like concise reviews of interesting films please read my other reviews at http://raouldukeatthemovies.blogspot.com/

Ruthless People is, without question, the funniest movie that most people have never seen. Released in the mid-1980s, I do not recall this flick getting a lot of exposure or box office hype. Still, it is one of my favorites of all time and a must see comedy for everyone. A man and his wife kidnap the wife (Midler) of a fashion executive (Devito) to get payback for him stealing the wife's fashion designs. What they don't know is that he had plans to kill her the very day they kidnapped her. They demand money, unfortunately he doesn't want her back. What follows is an absolute comedy of errors. Devito's girlfriend has plans to get rid of him so she can profit. Her boyfriend (Pullman) is one of the dumbest (and funniest!) people you will ever meet. There is a detective who gets pulled into the mess via a video of himself with a hooker, a serial killer, and more to keep the laughs rolling. All of the characters are amazing. This is one comedy that will keep you laughing and that you will not regret watching. If you enjoy this, check out Quick Change with Bill Murray as well.