The Blues Brothers

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

“Joliet” Jake Blues (John Belushi) is released from prison after serving three years for armed robbery. Jake is irritated at being picked up by his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) in the Bluesmobile, a battered former Mount Prospect police car, instead of the Cadillac the brothers used to own. The brothers visit their childhood home, a Roman Catholic orphanage, and learn that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. The brothers visit an evangelical church service where Jake has an epiphany: they can legitimately raise the funds by re-forming their rhythm and blues band.

Elwood runs a red light, and is pulled over by two Illinois State Police troopers who learn of his suspended license. When they attempt to arrest him, he speeds off, escaping through the Dixie Square Mall. As the brothers arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mystery woman (Carrie Fisher) launches a bazooka attack that leaves them unharmed. The next morning, she detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, which fails to injure the brothers, but saves them from being arrested. Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Trombonist Tom “Bones” Malone and the rhythm section, (Willie “Too Big” Hall, Steve “The Colonel” Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, and Murphy “Murph” Dunne), are playing in a nearly empty Holiday Inn lounge, and are easily persuaded to rejoin. Trumpeter “Mr. Fabulous”, now Maître d’ at the fancy Chez Paul restaurant, is harder to sway, but Jake and Elwood convince him by engaging in rude behavior and promising to continue until he agrees. En route to meet saxophonist “Blue Lou” Marini and guitarist Matt “Guitar” Murphy, the brothers drive through a rally of “Illinois Nazis”, adding another enemy to the brothers’ growing list. Marini and Murphy are at the soul food restaurant on Maxwell Street which Murphy owns with his wife (Aretha Franklin). Against her advice, the two musicians leave and rejoin the band. The reunited group get instruments and equipment from Ray’s Music Exchange (with Ray Charles accepting an IOU).

Jake is unable to book a gig in advance, but the band stumbles into a gig at Bob’s Country Bunker, a country bar. After a rocky start, the band wins over the bottle-tossing crowd. At the end of the evening, however, not only is their bar tab greater than the pay for the gig, but the brothers infuriate the band that was actually meant to play, the Good Ol’ Boys. The Blues Brothers blackmail their old booking agent into securing a gig for them—a performance at the Palace Hotel Ballroom, located 106 miles (171 km) north of Chicago. After being driven all over the area promoting the concert, the Bluesmobile runs out of gas, making Jake and Elwood late for the concert. The ballroom is packed, and the concert-goers are joined by the Good Ol’ Boys and scores of police officers. Jake and Elwood sneak into the venue and perform two songs. A record company executive offers them a cash advance on a recording contract, more than enough to pay off the orphanage’s taxes and Ray’s IOU, and tells the brothers how to slip out unnoticed.

As the brothers escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman, whereupon it is revealed she is Jake’s ex-fiancée. She fires an M16 rifle at them, but Jake charms her before dropping her, allowing the two brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile. They head back to Chicago with dozens of state/local police and the Good Ol’ Boys in pursuit. Jake and Elwood eventually elude them all, leaving piled-up police cars in their wake. After a gravity-defying escape from the Illinois Nazis, Jake and Elwood arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, where the Bluesmobile literally falls to pieces. They rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by a large crowd of armed law officers. Jake, Elwood, and the rest of the band are sent to prison where they play “Jailhouse Rock” for fellow inmates

REVIEW:

I was listening to some Blues Brothers music the other day and it came to me the fact that while I had reviewed Blues Brothers 2000, I had yet to even watch the original film. Well, this evening, I rectified that situation and finally watched The Blues Brothers. The question is, was it worth the wait?

First thing first, I really think I should have watched this first, because it is nearly the exact same film as Blues Brothers 2000, with some changes here and there, obviously. I say this because the plots are the mostly the same, the characters are the same, even some of the music is the same. All this time, I thought it was a sequel, but turns out it has been more of a remake. Maybe I should go back and re-review it?

So, allow me to forget the fact that the other even exists for the purpose of this review, if you will. The plot involving these two brothers who are apparent convicts that are on “a mission from God” to save the orphanage where they grew up. After an experience in a church they decide to get the band back together and earn the money that way. This leads to many high-speed chases, action packed car pile-up, encounters with Neo-Nazis, etc.

If you know anything about the Blues Brothers, then you know that they are known for their look and their music. As a fan of this style of music, I have to say that this film delivers on all cylinders. Acts like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, and even Chaka Khan appear and bring the house down.

Aside from the action and great music, there is also some great comedic moments. After all, remember that these guys started out as a skit on Saturday Night Live, so how can you expect some sort of serious film? Yes, I’ve heard some people complain about that. *SIGH* When will people learn that it isn’t a crime to have a funny film? Geesh!

If I do have an issue with the film, it is that we know these guys are being chased and whatnot, but the very people who are chasing them seem to disappear for half of the film. It kind if left a big hole in the plot, if you think about it.

Finale verdict on The Blues Brothers? Well, if you were to ask me if it was worth the wait, I have to say an enthusiastic yes. I thoroughly enjoyed this film from start to finish. There are some things that could have been better, but it is that how it is with any film. Should you give this a shot? I have to say yes, and without hesitation. This is a must-see before you die film!

5 out of 5 stars