Matcollis
This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.
KnotStronger
This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Sammy-Jo Cervantes
There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
BlackJack_B
Jerry Zucker, David Zucker and Jim Abrahams are known for their spoof movies such as Airplane!, Hot Shots and The Naked Gun trilogy but they did direct some straight comedies and Ruthless People remains uproariously funny in 2014. In fact, it seems more realistic nowadays.Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) is a slimy little man who is married to Barbara Stone (Bette Midler), a frumpy and gaudy woman who he detests. He has plans to kill her for her 15 million dollar fortune and run off with his long time mistress Carol (Anita Morris). The day he plans to do the dirty deed he finds out that she's been kidnapped by Ken (Judge Reinhold) and Sandy Kessler (Helen Slater) and they demand a huge ransom or else they will off her. Sam, of course, refuses to pay since now they will do the dirty work for him. Meanwhile, Carol is planning to double- cross Sam by filming the murder and she has her punk boyfriend Earl (Bill Pullman) do it. He ends up filming the guy who played the Principal on Head Of The Class having sex with a hooker instead but Carol never bothers to watch the film because of the screams of joy the hooker makes and just assumes it's Sam murdering Barbara.It turns out the Kesslers aren't "ruthless people" and seemingly won't carry out the murder despite Sam making a decent fortune himself from stealing Sandy's ideas years ago and leaving the Kesslers living in squalor. Barbara teaches them how...Ruthless People is a sassy R-rated comedy with attitude and the dialog and situation comedy is zesty, rich and bursting with constant laugh-out loud moments. Everybody in film is appealing despite being evil, weak- minded, dumb or a monster and that's why it has aged extremely well. It feels more like a 2014 film than a 1986 film because our society seemingly is like the one featured in Ruthless Peopl.DeVito, Slater and Reinhold deliver terrific performances but the film is owned by Midler. The Divine Miss M dominates the film playing a profanity-spewing, gaudy, frumpy and angry shrew who changes into a sassy, beautiful and fit woman in captivity but still hasn't lost her talent for down and dirty ruthlessness.Still a wonderful film 28 years later. I wish the Zuckers and Abrahams made more R-rated fare; this is one of the best comedies of the MPAA era. See it!
wes-connors
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
ComedyFan2010
The movie is a great 80's comedy about a rich man's wife being kidnapped by people he betrayed right when he wants her to be gone and who are not very good in doing it.It doesn't even start slowly. The first scene is a dialogue of Sam (Danny DeVito) and his mistress Carol (Anita Morris) where he passionately describes how much he hates his wife and how he wants to kill her so she suffers. Danny DeVito is great in this scene, as through the whole movie. He does a great job playing the bad guy and his character seems to have so much (evil) energy and strength.Other characters are also very well selected and played. There are moments where it seems that Bette Midler is overplaying it, but considering that the movie is to some point a farce comedy it doesn't seem to be too out of line. As well it gives her character the craziness that makes her a bit scary and yet lovely. The kidnapping couple (Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater) are greatly created characters, they are so kind and nice that one just has to root for them and feel for them. They are so not made to be evil that their failings in it bring us a lot of amusement. To make it a bit more complicated throw in the mistress I mentioned before and her dumb lover (a great career start for Bill Pullman) who have their own shenanigans planned and the movie gets even more complicated and hilarious. One basically laughs at every scene and the 90 minutes pass by very quick.Sure, it is predictable most of the time, but it sure doesn't ruin the movie that is mainly made to make us laugh and truly accomplishes it both with plot related and the side jokes. I loved the movie when I first saw it (must have been in the 90's) and it still didn't lose it's humor for me 3 decades after it's release.It is actually funny that back in the days it was promoted as crude, adult humor and now it seems to be so innocent. Times sure have changed the average comedy.
Tweekums
Businessman Sam Stone does not like his wife Barbara; he only married her for her money and as the film opens he is telling his mistress Carol that he is going to kill Barbara. When he gets home he is ready to do the deed; the problem is there is no sign of her. The phone then rings… it turns out that Barbara has been kidnapped and the kidnappers want half a million dollars and total secrecy if he is to see her alive. He can't believe his luck and informs the police and media then waits for the kidnappers to keep their promise. It doesn't work out as planned though as the kidnappers aren't the ruthless people they claim to be; they just want the money they think Stone owes them after he stole their idea and made a fortune. In a secondary plot Carol decides to blackmail Sam by filming him dumping the body; of course there is no body but Carol's stupid partner films a couple's rather noisy love making and thinks he is witnessing a murder… Sam enjoys the tape but the police chief doesn't as he is the man in it! As the film progresses the kidnappers lower their demands and Barbara uses her captivity as an opportunity to get fit.The actresses' hairdos may place this film firmly in the eighties but the film hasn't dated. Danny DeVito is great as the poisonous Stone; a character who is as odious as he is hilarious. Bette Midler is equally good as his wife; one can see why he wants her dead as she starts off as unpleasant as him. Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater are both on good form as bumbling kidnappers Ken and Sandy Kessler… the most likable of the protagonists. The laughs are plentiful and the story is entertaining; it is definitely worth watching and although there are a few slightly adult moments it doesn't descend into crudeness.
