Mother, Jugs & Speed

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Mother, Jugs & Speed

PG

1976

1h 35m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

53%

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17 Reviews

54%

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2,500+ Ratings

When Los Angeles decides that whoever arrives first at accident scenes enough times will get a full contract with the city, the F&B Ambulance Company struggles to be faster than the competition. Driver "Mother" Tucker (Bill Cosby) is partnered with Tony "Speed" Malatesta (Harvey Keitel), a former police officer. The two are joined by "Jugs" (Raquel Welch), a beautiful woman who has just completed her EMT training. The trio must keep their heads while performing their dangerous job.

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Rated: 4/4

Aug 14, 2007

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Mother, Jugs and Speed is one of those premises that must have sounded great when the agents were explaining it to the studio, but it comes out as an unhappy cross between MASH and As the World Turns.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

It aims to entertain, and it succeeds.

May 6, 2023

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Clare Cherrington

Spare Rib

Mother , Jugs & Speed has no real sting. This apart, the movie does prove you don't have to be sexist to be funny.

Sep 20, 2021

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Doug Molitor

Los Angeles Free Press

The gags get dull, and the mood turns ugly.

Oct 31, 2019

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Richard T. Jameson

Parallax View

If you don't go expecting a lot, you might find the film makes for a half-evening's worth of laidback diversion.

May 4, 2012

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delysid d

i enjoyed the film, pretty different. sort of a comedy thats not funny

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/02/18

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Audience Member

How can you go wrong with a cast featuring the comedic Bill Cosby, the beautiful Raquel Welch, and Academy favorite Harvey Keitel? Plus it's the 70s so we'll do a MASH type sendup with ambulance drivers. The mess that is this movie has comedic moments that aren't quite funny and dramatic moments that are way too dark for a lighthearted film.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

Funny and crazy movie about a run down ambulance company that has seen better days. Well acted with chase scenes galore make for a good time. Bill Cosby's best non stand up movie.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

This movie is fucking hysterical. There's not much to it. Two ambulance companies are duking it out in the most underhanded ways they can to become the #1 ambulance company in Los Angeles. Feels like Taxi meets Caddyshack. It's not as good as Caddyshack, but Larry Hagman and Bill Cosby playing foulmouthed ambulance drivers dropping some pretty fun banter is totally worth it. Smart and old school. Love it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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Audience Member

I think I enjoyed this movie more years ago when I first saw it. Not a particularly deep movie, but it touches upon some interesting issues still present today. All of the performances seem to be spot on.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

Rides that MASH line of drama/humour with expert ease. The fantastic cast play a wide range of personalities who for no better reason than payment drive freelance ambulances. The humour is rye and the pathos pretty gentle considering the serious situations they get into and in many ways was way ahead of it's time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Peter Yates

Director

Raquel Welch

Jugs

Bill Cosby

Mother

Harvey Keitel

Speed

Allen Garfield

Harry Fishbine

Larry Hagman

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Synopsis

When Los Angeles decides that whoever arrives first at accident scenes enough times will get a full contract with the city, the F&B Ambulance Company struggles to be faster than the competition. Driver "Mother" Tucker (Bill Cosby) is partnered with Tony "Speed" Malatesta (Harvey Keitel), a former police officer. The two are joined by "Jugs" (Raquel Welch), a beautiful woman who has just completed her EMT training. The trio must keep their heads while performing their dangerous job.

Director: Peter Yates
Producer: Peter Yates, Tom Mankiewicz
Screenwriter: Tom Mankiewicz
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Mar 9, 2004
Runtime: 1h 35m