Moving Violations (1985)

I love this movie so much

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Too much fun! Even though this film would seem way too cheesy and juvenile on the surface, there are just too many laughs for it not to be an entertaining experience. From the makers of Police Academy and Bachelor Party, Moving Violations has enough one-liners and sight gags to more than make up for its lack of plot. Though some of the gags make Dumb and Dumber seem like an episode of Frazier, I guarantee you'll be laughing at it in spite of yourself.The story concerns a group of perennial bad drivers who are sentenced to a strict traffic school in which they have to pass the course or forfeit their cars to the county. The class is run by two bad-ass motorcycle cops played by James Keach and Lisa Hart Carroll. They have their characters down so well, they'll even frighten you. Keach has a scheme going with the judge that sentenced the bad drivers to the course. Their plan is to make the class impossible and somehow split the profits from the impounded vehicles themselves. To detail this plot any further would be a dis-service to not only this review, but the film itself.John Murray plays the ringleader of the traffic school bunch. He is certainly no Bill Murray, but he's very charismatic and funny. Most of the other students are made up of typically wacky characters you might expect to find in a movie like this. Most of them are thankfully more funny than annoying. The cast is made up of many familiar faces; some of which went on to better things, and some of them just disappeared. Look closely and you'll spot Don Cheadle working at a fast food drive up window for about five seconds! Since there is so little plot, the film must count on sight gags involving cars being destroyed, old people with diminished facilities, bondage, puppet stages rolling down hills and into funeral homes, you name it. Toward the end, there is as one might expect, a climatic chase scene involving parade floats, a group of marathon runners, and about a thousand cops chasing after our heroes while they're on their way to police headquarters to expose the scheme to sell their cars. By this point, you'll be either rolling with laughter or you will have shut the movie off long before then.Maybe it's not quite a classic, but I'd say it's a cut above Police Academy and somewhere just below Airplane or Top Secret. The odds are you'll find more than a few things to laugh at.7 of 10 stars.The Hound.

one of the funniest of funny ladies..... she will be truly missed by all................ I know she is smiling and laughing as I type. Traffic Violations (which I always called Night School) has her in one of her best roles. The girl who sat on the car lift to get oiled. You have to see the movie to understand what I just said. I did admire this fine actress and wonder why her death report failed to make television news or even a mention on the radio. If you get the opportunity and need a good clean funny movie to watch with the kids...this is the one to look for. Just get yourself a box of towels to wipe away the tears of laughter........Poooooor Wendi, and she had to run all those miles between oil changes.......even QuickieChange could not have written lines that funny.

Not sure why John Murray didn't do more films - he definitely should have, and hopefully he will do some in the future. True, his acting style is similar to his older brother Bill's, but he's individual enough that he coulda made it big. "Moving Violations" is good. Not great, but it was pretty well directed and it's got its strengths. Actually, it made it into theaters only six months after it was written and filmed - if anything, I'd say that they should have gone back and rewritten and polished up a few things. The plot does get stretched a bit thin over the course of the movie...the best parts come in the beginning and middle. The ending is pretty limp and the whole Judge Henderson/Deputy Halik sexcapade and ensuing car chase sequence just gets boring with all the boffo antics. The character of Scott the Puppeteer, played by Brian Backer (Rat of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High") doesn't develop as well as it should have, and the chick who plays his love interest wasn't written well at all - BUT, Backer's star scene near the beginning with the puppet stage rolling down the hill is a total gut-buster. Despite these few problems, there are enough good gags and Murray definitely keeps the movie afloat. Jennifer Tilly is superb as Amy Hopkins the nimrod rocket scientist. James Keach, Wendie Jo Sperber (who had just done "Back to the Future"), Ned Eisenberg, and Nedra Volz all contribute a lot of positive energy, making "Moving Violations" one of those 'so bad, it's good' movies.

One of my all-time favorite movies as a kid, MOVING VIOLATIONS disappeared from video stores and has finally been released on DVD. I bought it yesterday for a steal (I seriously questioned my relationship with my husband when he asked if I really needed to buy it) and was happy to find I remembered not only the song (moving violations – lations, lations, lations, when you move!), but most of the lines, and Don Cheadle's performance as the drive-thru window employee. I won't divulge the plot, because 1) it is irrelevant, and 2) I couldn't do it justice.The bunch of misfits sent to traffic school are all friendly faces of the 80s, largely siblings of more famous stars. This is Sally Kellerman's finest role since Hot Lips Hoolihan, Nedra Volz (LUST IN THE DUST with Divine, EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY, "Different Strokes") invented dirty little old lady humor, and where has Brian Backer gone? I always dug him in POLICE ACADEMY 4: CITIZENS ON PATROL, and FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. How about Wendy Jo Sperber of "Bosom Buddies" and BACK TO THE FUTURE? Remember the days when Meg Tilly was hot stuff and Jennifer was just her bimbette sister? Also yukking it up is James Keach, who is Jane Seymour's husband, Stacy Keach's little brother, and surely Thomas Lennon's inspiration for "Reno 911"'s Lieutenant Dangle. And have we since seen a more bizarre sex scene than the clothes making out in NASA's no-gravity chamber? Also hilarious is John Murray (brother of Bill) who had me laughing non-stop. If you think the POLICE ACADEMY movies are the nadir of civilization, you may want to skip this one, but if you inexplicably love them, like I do, buy or rent this immediately.