The Blues Brothers (1980)

• Add

Overview

The Blues Brothers is a 1980's musical comedy movie, directed by John Landis. It stars Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as the main characters, playing the brothers Elwood and Jake Blues. The movie is famous for its wide array of Blues music and musicians, featuring people like Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Ray Charles.

Critical Reception

The film was generally well-reviewed and did well in the box office, ranking 10th for the year 1980. In total, the film grossed well over $115 million, $57 million domestically, before being released on TV and home video. The director of the film, John Landis, claimed that The Blues Brothers was the first American film to gross more money overseas ($58 million) than it did domestically.

The reviews of The Blues Brothers were pretty much positive, with a 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 45 reviews. The movie was also featured on various lists like "50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time" (by Total Film), the 100 Funniest Movies (by Bravo) and has won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects.

The film was sometimes criticized because of its simplistic plot and the high amount of car chases. On the other hand, the movie's energetic musical scenes and humorous segments seem to take the overhand in the general reception of the movie.