City Slickers
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Movie Reviews of City Slickers
Movie Review: The Greatest "Guy" Movie Ever (Yet, With Feeling)
Summary: 5 Stars
As old as the "Men are from Mars, Women are from Jupiter" ponderings is the difference between "guy" films and "chick flicks". Though not trying to stereotype the genders too much here, the camp of movie-goers that will watch "The Notebook" or "A Walk To Remember" have different hormones flowing through them as those that go to "Terminator Salvation" or "Rambo IV". There's just a fundamental difference that often cannot be overcome by either gender.
"City Slickers", however, is the rare film that, while being a complete "guy" film, also proves to be as introspective as any emotional drama. Basically, "Slickers" tells the story of a middle-aged man named Mitch (played superbly by Billy Crystal) who undergoes a mid-life crisis. He works a dead-end job, has kids that think he is an "old fart", can't keep up on his best friend's big adventures (the film opens with the trio of buds running from the bulls in Spain), and is on the verge of complete depression. However, an opportunity (two weeks herding cattle at a Dude Ranch) presents itself for Mitch to be able to re-capture his youth, and he reluctantly takes it. Over the course of the trip, Mitch (and his pals, by extension) slowly but surely (and with often hilarious results!) begins to recapture the excitement that seemed to have been missing from his life.
Besides the inspiring storyline that rivals any feel-good film, "Slickers" vaults itself into the stratosphere with the quality of both its humor and acting. The jokes in this film, while not the physical comedy of, say, Jim Carrey, are still hilarious, and mirror the changes that each friend is going through. Speaking of those friends, Phil and Ed (played by Daniel Stern and Bruno Kirby, respectively), they each in turn provide the perfect compliment to Mitch's old-age crisis...Ed is the go-getter who never seems to slow down, while Phil is stuck in a heartless marriage and wishes he could just start over. The camraderie, struggles, and real-life discussions between those three guys provides the emotional backbone of the film. Plus, the auxiliary characters (including Jack Palance as the trail-hardened cowherd Curly) each add their own take on life into the picture.
Towards the end of the film, Mitch proclaims that he has finally found his "one thing" in life. Though that "one thing" is never revealed, that is actually the point...everyone must go out and find it for him/her self (much like the viewer may begin to contemplate while watching). So guys, the next time your significant other wants to watch another two Kleenex-box romance, suggest this film as a change of pace (but make sure she watches the whole thing...as the meat of the message is saved for the finale). She may not laugh at all the same things you do (which will be pretty much everything!), but she may also come away with a bit better of a perspective on what it's like to be a guy.
Movie Review: In Appreciation of Bruno Kirby
Summary: 5 Stars
Bruno Kirby passed away not too long ago...wow...it really kind of blew me away...he was so young and talented and still had so much to offer the world. But we must not be overly sad at his death, we must know and feel that even now the life that Bruno Kirby was/is/and will always be is doing even greater things...
I love this movie. I watch this movie every time I'm in the "dumps". No matter how much my life has improved over the years, there are those days where I just don't feel I'm doing enough. I don't think this makes me "nagative" as much as it means that I am human. The whole reason why we don't think our life is living up to our expectations is because deep within our soul, we know that we have EVEN MORE to express, extend, and experience...
This movie especially moves me now because I am in my early 40s. When I first saw it, I thought it was funny, but I couldn't totally relate to it. I thought that I was eons away from becoming 40. (It gets here sooner than you realize, kid...) I mean, I remember when my dad turned 40 and I could never get as old as my dad!
Yeah, okay...dream on...
This movie will make you look at life differently, that is, if you are willing to look at life differently. If you just go into it thinking it's just going to be a funny movie with Bruno Kirby and Billy Crystal and Daniel Stearn, then that is just what you'll get, but if you go into it with a willingness to see it as a metaphor for life, you will get this as well.
Y'see, everyone talks about women going through the change of life...men go through a change, as well. But as a rule, we don't talk about things like that. Men are always supposed to be stoic and strong and able to leap tall buildings with a single bound...not true...we are not made of steel...we are made of bone and blood and muscle...we are bound by the same laws as everyone else and sometimes, we feel even more pressure to become something or do something big and when we haven't made the deadline or scored the touchdown or hit the home run by the time we thought we would, we feel like even more of a failure.
But just like the movie suggests, Life is a "do over". We can decide today to begin again. To shake the dust of our butts and get right back in the saddle.
YEEEEE-HAAAAAA!
Oh, life is good people...life is good! Thank you, Bruno Kirby for making this movie part of our document to human history.
Movie Review: The Three Buckaroo Stooges
Summary: 5 Stars
Billy Crystal stars in this mostly western-themed film about country life. Mitch Robbins(Crystal) is radio station employee who plays advertisements. He celebrates his 39th birthday with a few friends including Ed Farillo(Bruno Kirby) and Phil Berquist(Daniel Stern). Earlier,Mitch,Ed,Phil and Phil's wife Arlene return from a vacation in Mexico. At Mitch's birthday party,all hell breaks loose when Nancy,a cashier at a supermarket managed by Phil's father-in-law,shows up at the Robbins' home telling Phil she is pregnant(the Berquists' housekeeper told Nancy where Phil was). Nancy took a pregnancy test while on her break and it came back positive. When mean-spirited Arlene overhears this,she accuses Phil of impregnating Nancy. "I'm her boss and we have a health plan.",Phil tells Arlene. "Get out if this house,you little whore!",Arlene tells Nancy. Phil angrily quipps,"I won't permit you to talk to her that way." "I'll tell my father what you did!",Arlene angrily shouts. Arlene grabs the Robbins' living room phone and retreats to the phone in the Robbins' bedroom after the living room phone cord snaps in half. According to Phil,twelve years of celibacy will make someone crazy. This led to the Berquists' divorce. Mitch's birthday gift from Ed and Phil was a two-week vacation,driving cattle from New Mexico to Colorado. Mitch initially declines because he and his wife Barbara(Patricia Wettig) had planned a vacation in Florida. Barbara decided to not let Mitch join her and the couple's two children in the Florida vacation. Barbara gives Mitch the same gift as what Phil and Ed gave him. While on the cattle drive vacation,Mitch,Phil and Ed meet Curly(Jack Palance),a senior-citizen trail boss. They make a new friend as well,Bonnie Rayburn(Helen Slater). In one scene,Curly shoots dead a female pregnant cow while she's in labor. Mitch "has his third child" named Norman! In another scene,Curly suffers a fatal heart attack while riding a cow. So Mitch,Ed and Phil plan a small memorial service for Curly. At the end of the vacation,the trio return with Norman in tow. Barbara and the Robbins' kids are shockingly surprised. They thought Norman was a dog. Mitch wanted to bring Norman home for at least a little while. Barbara didn't want Norman in the Robbins' home. "We'll put him in a petting zoo so he can be with your mother.",Mitch jokingly tells Barbara. This film was co-written and co-produced by Crystal and is one of 1991's highest-grossing films.Movie Review: makes guys talk
Summary: 5 Stars
A funny revelation came to me on my way to the corral: City Slickers is a movie for screenwriters and everyone who wants men to reveal their true feelings. Screenwriters should love it because it is a story with such a clear mythic structure. Every moment out of Campell's / Jungs hero-journey is there: a Call to Adventure, a Refusal of the Call, Tests, Allies, Enemies, a Supreme Ordeal, returning home with an elixier....only all of this is executed with so much fun and style, you'll never know what hit you. Writers Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel are gods, masters at their craft. Dismiss their stuff as mere comedy and you'll regret missing the best they have to offer. I love that this film is a perfect hero's quest, and a modern adventure story, and sure enough, it resonated with a lot of people.
Which brings me to another observation: whenever I've screened the movie for male friends, they opened up and shared. It seems that the (stunningly eloquent and beautifully written) "What's-the-worst -day-of-your-life/What's-the-best-day-of-your-life"-scene does it: it gives men courage to confide their fears, reveal their wounds, share life-stories. Simply because of that, the movie has been a gift (and a recommendation to every lady who'd like to get her beau to utter more than a grunt when it comes to the personal stuff).
Did I mention that Daniel Stern is completely underrated as Phil ? That Bruno Kirby has the best line in the Best-Day/Worst-Day-scene ? That Ron Underwoods direction is flawless (just as in "Tremors" ) ? In a year where "American Pie 2" seems to be the high watermark for comedy, "City Slickers" is better than ever. Because Hollywood doesn't seem to make many movies that touch you enough to open your heart these days.
Movie Review: From start to finish, it never disappoints!
Summary: 5 Stars
I would find it hard to believe that anyone currently reading this review hasn't already seen this movie in some form. Whether it be on video, television, or theatre. But if in fact you are some poor soul that has somehow missed out on this movie for the last ten years then this is for you.Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby, and Daniel Stern are three friends who take these amazing "adventure vacations" each year. But as they grow older they all begin to see their lives moving in directions they never dreamed. So they embark on a cattle drive to recapture their lost youth and "find themselves". What soon ensues is nothing short of hilarious as the three "City Slickers" try to re-create the old west they had always dreamed about.
The best thing about this movie is that it is not always funny. Normally for a comedy that would be a disaster, but this is more than a comedy. It is really a statement about life and the problems that all of us face from time to time. As it progresses the movie becomes a wonderful mix of touching drama and sidesplitting hilarity. This movie is ultimately about love and friendship, and living each moment and the importance they have in each of our lives.
If you haven't seen it, then stop reading this and get yourself a copy. If you have seen it and are wondering if it's worth owning... then you need to watch it again.