Outposters, welcome back to Film Club. This week, Used Cars won and unfortunately due to real-life work commitments from the contributors, only myself and Shawn B managed to find the time to watch and review it this week. This either means we are not busy enough with work, or we are so good at our jobs that we manage our schedules to allow us these privileges… It’s the latter!
Eggy
When Used Cars won Film Club, I was excited but at the same time, a little hesitant about what I was going to get. A movie by Zemeckis and starring Kurt Russel that was made a mere 5 years before BTTF? OK, I thought, this has the potential be be amazing. However, the fact I had never heard of it made me think that it was going to be a stinker.
The trailer looked great but I was thinking that perhaps you crazy Outposters were just pulling my leg by voting for it, determined to get me to watch a turkey. Oh, ye of little faith! Of course, you magnificent bastards would vote for a belter and you didn’t let me down, Used Cars was excellent!
A classic 80s movie that brought back the glory days when men were men, and women were women (and sexy who were proud to flaunt their bodies). Blacks and whites got along with each other whilst also being able to make “racists” jokes that no one took offense with. Guns, explosions, smoking, drinking, fighting, hacking, and all-around ridiculousness topped off with moments of laughing in the face of the government. Glori-fucking-ous!
I loved this movie from start to finish and was, excuse the phrase because it’s awful, genuinely laughing out loud for most of the time. Kurt Russell always looks like he’s having fun on screen but in Used Cars he looked like he was having an absolute blast! The hair-brained schemes between him and Roy Fuchs were beyond ridiculous but also what (used) to make movies so much damn fun.
Mixed up with the little comedic plot twists, edge-of-the-seat capers, and ultimately the last-gasp win to leave you with that good old-fashioned feel-good factor makes Used Cars a carefree, reckless, crazy, full-blown (early) 80s movie that I can’t get enough of!
Shawn B
Used Cars is a light-hearted dark comedy, with the ability to take a mundane subject like used car sales and turn it into an uproarious comedy adventure. It’s nothing less than exceptional.
Kurt Russell shines as the charismatic and scheming used car salesman, Rudy Russo. While the late, great Jack Warden delivers a standout performance in his dual role as Roy L. Fuchs and Luke Fuchs. Deborah Harmon plays the estranged daughter of Luke Fuchs and brings a bit of innocence to the whole sleazy car sales routine. I mention this, mostly because she’s also in Bachelor Party. For that matter, there’s also a small appearance by Wendie Jo Sperber.
In a time when comedies are lackluster at best, Used Cars remains a shining example of how a well-crafted, hilariously funny film can still hold up decades later. It was one of the first to usher in the many great comedies we’d watch through the 80s. It’s an absolute classic of comedy that has stood the test of time. Well… it probably couldn’t be made today.
Film Club Week 8
So there you have it Outposters, another week completed for Film Club. Let us know what you think of Used Cars in the comments below.
The new list for voting goes up on Saturday 9th September, so let me have your suggestions below. As always, the best ones will be added to the list! The winner will be announced on Sunday!
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