Blues Brothers Review
On "a mission from God," brothers Jake (John_Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan_Aykroyd) tear up Chicago in inimitable style. The flimsy plot, in which the brothers try to raise money to save their childhood orphanage by reuniting their old band, is a good excuse for a series of comic vignettes and lovingly realized musical scenes. The film is an unapologetic homage to rhythm-and-blues in all its popular derivatives, from Cab_Calloway to James_Brown to Aretha_Franklin, all of whom appear, along with other musicians, in the film. Having Carrie_Fisher play Jake's homicidal ex-girlfriend was one of the film's many brilliant uses of cameos. This overlong (135-minute) John_Landis-directed comedy's dead spots are forgotten in the euphoria of the coolest, funniest car chase scene ever shot. The Blues Brothers became an enduring favorite and a television evergreen because its protagonists live out the wishes of legions of white soul-music aficionados, and rarely have Saturday_Night_Live alumni so successfully transformed a TV routine into a feature-length film, despite many attempts. Belushi and Aykroyd are at the top of their deadpan game. The 1998 sequel Blues_Brothers_2000 sorely missed Belushi and the original's fresh energy. Michael Betzold, Rovi
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