Brewster's Millions (1985)

Wonderful Movie

Absolutely Fantastic

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Brewster's Millions was a movie that--even if the execution wasn't the best--had a novel concept. Monty Brewster (Richard Pryor) was the sole heir to a fortune--but there was a catch. If he could spend $30 million in 30 days 1.) having no assets 2.) not give it away philanthropically or otherwise 3.) and have receipts for all money spent (and no he can't buy the Hope Diamond and give it away) all without telling anyone. Should he accomplish that then he would inherit $300 million. OR he could take the "wimp out clause" and just walk away with $1 million. Sounds easy right? Wrong!The movie was a wacky series of events perpetrated by Monty Brewster to the bemusement of his friend Spike Nolan (John Candy) and his accountant Angela Drake (Lonette Davis). I remember the movie being a lot funnier in the 80's but it was still solid today. Sadly, at least three of the main characters are dead today: Richard Pryor, John Candy and Jerry Orbach.

Half a dozen versions of "Brewster's Millions" had been made, dating back into the silent era, before this 1985 film. The story is based on a 1902 novel by George B. McCutcheon. This movie, with Richard Pryor and John Candy stacks up well with the other films. It's updated ($30 million in 1985 versus $1 million in 1945), with prices, costs and other things being quite different. It has some novel twists and pokes fun at New York politics. So, it succeeds overall. Richard Pryor is very good as Monty Brewster, and most others of the cast give very good performances. But, John Candy stands out as Spike Nolan. He's a delight to watch with his frustration over Monty's not wanting to invest a little of his many millions for the future. The two have just come from nowheresville, and Spike remembers all too well that they could wind up back there. So, every time Monty hires someone for a ludicrous salary, Spike wants it to be half or less. Except for some sparse vulgar language, this film is generally clean. The baseball scenes with Monty on the pitcher's mound and Spike behind the plate are hilarious.

A few days after seeing the 1945 Brewster's Millions, I finally watched the remake that was released 40 years later. It starred Richard Pryor as Monty Brewster, here a minor league baseball player who sees film of his late grandpa (Hume Cronyn) who tells him the conditions of his will. John Candy is Pryor's baseball buddy, Lonette McKee-who previously co-starred with him in Which Way is Up?-is his accountant, Candy's "SCTV" co-star Rick Moranis is someone who likes to repeat whatever someone next to him says, and David White-who I remember as Larry Tate on "Bewitched"-is one of the executers of the will. This wasn't as funny as the previous version I watched but I still had some good laughs watching Pryor, Candy, Moranis, and some of the changes in some scenes. So on that note, this version of Brewster's Millions is worth a look.

While Brewster's Millions is not a perfect movie by all means, but it is a bright and breezy film that does have its heart in the right place. Also, as far as comedies go it is not one of the most defining films of the genre, but to be a good movie Brewster's Millions didn't need to be that.As I have said already, Brewster's Millions is not a perfect film. The plot is on the predictable and simple side and I can understand why one might find it bizarre too with its concept and all though I did find it refreshing in a sense on the other side of the argument. The ending feels rather abrupt and could have been rounded off better, and also while others may be divided on whether to perceive this as a flaw, Brewster's Millions does have a theme that is firmly rooted in the 80s which may date it slightly.However, it is nicely filmed, with striking locations and nice cinematography and editing, while the soundtrack is nicely 80s without dating the film. The film does work in its humour, the script is funny without the need to be too sophisticated and smart, while the odd situation also made me chuckle. The direction is good enough, the film is paced well and it is a good length. And although the story is quite simple, there is enough material to engage throughout, and a lot of it is to do with the fun chemistry between Richard Pryor and John Candy. Pryor I can find loud and unfunny at times, and other times where he is a lot of fun, his performance here is the latter and it does help that his character and most of the characters here are likable, while Candy really does shine. There is also a hilarious cameo from Rick Moranis and Jerry Orbach is always good value.All in all, Brewster's Millions is a fun film with heart even if there are parts/aspects that could have done with more work. 7/10 Bethany Cox