Used Cars (1980) ***1/2
Used Cars (1980) is a film from another time. Arriving in the summer of 1980, it set the bar for many raunchy comedies to come (and yet stands out from many of the films that followed). It's crude, not politically correct in the slightest, and even a bit mean-spirited. But it is undeniably funny a lot of the time.
Robert Zemeckis' sophomore film bears no resemblance to any of his others—it feels much more akin to the work of Mel Brooks, early Harold Ramis or Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros. If you're not easily offended, it's got lots of laughs and a great cast of fantastic character actors. Jack Warden is particularly impressive in dual roles (at first you don't even realize it's the same actor). Lead Kurt Russell chose this role, very consciously attempting to break free of his family-friendly, squeaky clean Disney image. Used Cars is a tad long and features a totally ridiculous and unrealistic denouement but that is part of its charm (and films from the 80s in general).
Robert Zemeckis' sophomore film bears no resemblance to any of his others—it feels much more akin to the work of Mel Brooks, early Harold Ramis or Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros. If you're not easily offended, it's got lots of laughs and a great cast of fantastic character actors. Jack Warden is particularly impressive in dual roles (at first you don't even realize it's the same actor). Lead Kurt Russell chose this role, very consciously attempting to break free of his family-friendly, squeaky clean Disney image. Used Cars is a tad long and features a totally ridiculous and unrealistic denouement but that is part of its charm (and films from the 80s in general).
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