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      Ruthless People

      R Released Jun 27, 1986 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy List
      93% 43 Reviews Tomatometer 72% 10,000+ Ratings Audience Score Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) hates his wife, Barbara (Bette Midler), so much that he wants her dead. He's ecstatic when she's taken by a duo of kidnappers who want $500,000 ransom in exchange for her life. Fully intending to ignore every one of the kidnappers' demands in the hopes that they do him a favor and murder her for him, the two confused kidnappers (Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater) have to figure out how they're going get their money, and what they're going to do with the overbearing Barbara. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Apr 24 Buy Now

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      Ruthless People

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      Critics Consensus

      It's sometimes crude and tasteless, but Ruthless People wrings acid-soaked laughs out of its dark premise and gleefully misanthropic characters.

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      Audience Reviews

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      StephenPaul C LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 35 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Danny DeVito and Bette Milder as a couple in love, and kissing!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/04/23 Full Review Kyle E Warning: Spoilers Not everyone will like this movie but there are many who do. My mom and I absolutely fell out of our seats laughing when we watched this; my brother, on the other hand, barely cracked a grin. Anyway, with an ensemble made up of people like Bette Midler, Danny DeVito, and Judge Reinhold, what more could you possibly ask for? The way I see it, this is a take-off of any kidnapping story that you will see in the news or on true crime TV shows...only there's nonstop comedy at every turn. As my mom and I have said, this is one movie that is not meant to be taken seriously. Mr. DeVito plays a husband who desperately wants to get rid of his wife, who is played by Miss Midler herself. Then you have Judge Reinhold, who plays one of the bumbling kidnappers. DeVito and Reinhold concoct a plan that is surely foolproof, right? Not so much, apparently. From the moment that she is kidnapped, Bette tries everything in her power to buy her captors' trust and get out. Probably one of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when she is on the phone and letting off a string of obscenities that you have to hear to believe. My personal favorite line: "I've been kidnapped by K- Mart!" Every time I hear that line, I can just picture her saying it and then I roll over laughing. In the very end, Bette gets revenge on her husband and her primary kidnapper and walks off into the sunset. Can't go wrong with that, if you ask me. From start to finish, this is a comedy that you have to see to believe. Granted it may not be for everyone, you may like what you see. Enjoy. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/08/22 Full Review William L Certainly not as zany or high-energy as the higher-profile ZAZ comedies, but still cleverly put together and twisty, featuring consistently funny situational humor without giving too many one-liners (which may have been a critical flaw in the film's long-term reputation). An extremely '80s aesthetic to the supposed sophisticated taste and image of wealth (and the fashion) adds a bit of unexpected entertainment value, but the real star is Bette Midler, who delivers a combination of surprisingly comprehensive character development and biting venom in her delivery. Not an all-time classic, but still plenty funny. (3/5) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/10/22 Full Review Serge L The convoluted story still works well today and hilarity is attained easily at every corner. The film is chockful of good ideas and silliness and even bright moments that makes it a perl. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/11/22 Full Review Audience Member Absolute comedy classic. A film everyone should see at least once. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member The writing in this film is next level 4.1 Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/14/21 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Ryan Murphy Miami Herald Screenwriter Dale Launer makes the film earn every laugh with well-crafted cleverly set-up situations. This sophisticated handling of the comedy is definitely Ruthless People's strongest asset. Rated: 3/4 Apr 20, 2021 Full Review Kathleen Carroll New York Daily News One tires of the movie's relentlessly shrill tone and its excessively raunchy jokes. Rated: 2.5/4 Apr 20, 2021 Full Review Michael H. Price Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com Bette Midler's mastery of lovably obnoxious mannerisms has never had such deliciously wicked exposure, Danny De Vito brings his trademark sleazoid to full seriocomic flower, and Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater approach perfection... Rated: 7/10 Apr 20, 2021 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com ...the narrative offers the kinds of twists and turns that wouldn't disgrace a Coen brothers thriller... Rated: 4/5 Dec 5, 2021 Full Review Michael Heaton San Francisco Examiner Like the Los Angeles freeway system, "Ruthless People" is full of twists, turns and nasty people. Unlike the LA. freeway, 'Ruthless People" is a project that works. Rated: 3/4 Apr 20, 2021 Full Review Hal Lipper Tampa Bay Times This is Zucker, Zucker and Abraham's best movie since Airplane! although there is enough crude humor and strong profanity for a half-dozen R ratings. Rated: 3/5 Apr 20, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) hates his wife, Barbara (Bette Midler), so much that he wants her dead. He's ecstatic when she's taken by a duo of kidnappers who want $500,000 ransom in exchange for her life. Fully intending to ignore every one of the kidnappers' demands in the hopes that they do him a favor and murder her for him, the two confused kidnappers (Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater) have to figure out how they're going get their money, and what they're going to do with the overbearing Barbara.
      Director
      Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
      Executive Producer
      Joanna Lancaster, Walter Yetnikoff, Richard Wagner
      Screenwriter
      O. Henry, Dale Launer
      Distributor
      Buena Vista Pictures
      Production Co
      Touchstone Pictures
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Jun 27, 1986, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jan 1, 2014
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $70.9M
      Sound Mix
      Surround
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