Used Cars

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Used Cars

R

Released Jul 11, 1980

1h 53m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell) is an unscrupulous car salesman who aspires to become a politician. In the meantime, however, Rudy works for the nice but ineffective automobile dealer Luke Fuchs (Jack Warden). When Luke dies, Rudy takes over the lot, but he faces stiff competition from the scheming Roy L. Fuchs (also Warden) who wants his brother's business for himself. In order to get more customers, Rudy and Roy each devise ridiculous promotions to gain the upper hand.

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Critics Consensus

Robert Zemeckis' pitch-black satire of American culture doesn't always hit the mark, but it's got enough manic comic energy to warrant a spin.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Zemeckis and Gale’s movie is really a more restless and visually high-spirited version of the W. C. Fields comedies.

Jan 3, 2018

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

Director/co-writer Robert Zemeckis has undeniable energy and flair, but it's being misspent on pretexts and situations that seem inexcusably gratuitous and snide.

Oct 2, 2015

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Most of the time, I didn't know whether to laugh or shudder, and I ended up doing a lot of both.

Oct 2, 2015

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Used Cars improves substantially as it progresses...

Rated: 3/4

Mar 28, 2024

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Everything one would expect from an R-rated comedy from the early ’80s is present and accounted for: gratuitous T&A, profanity that flies like poetry, then-timely potshots at famous figures, and plenty of impressive vehicular stuntwork.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 16, 2023

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It has some raunchy fun pillaging used car salesmen as untrustworthy.

Rated: B

Apr 15, 2018

Full Review

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Jarrod R

Zany fun, and wildly ridiculous, and chock full of genuine laughs along the way. While this had more than a few dated and problematic moments, and a tacked-on courtroom scene, the third act brings it home. I would also like to give a nod to the duo of David L Lander and Michael McKean, who were paired up in much different roles from their Lennie and Squiggy characters from Laverne and Shirley. Also of note, when Kurt Russell and his gang put on their "Disco Night," it makes me wonder if that was written before the infamous Disco Demolition Night in July of 1979. Jack Warden was juggling two roles this one, playing a pair of brothers and rivals in the "pre-owned" vehicle sales game. His fight scenes were something to behold, but then, a paratrooper in 101st Airborne, I'm quite certain he knows how to hold his own in a fight. Can I please send out some love for Toby, played by Peanuts, one of the finest canine actors in the history of cinema. He stole every scene he was in, including the climactic car stunt. The cherry on the top? A brief but amazing segment with the incredible Dub Taylor. The more I see him, the more I appreciate his talent.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/25

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John D

A masterpiece of comedy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/29/24

Full Review

Audience Member

This was an absolute masterpiece! It was a very simple storyline to follow with some pretty radical twists. I was blown away with the ‘anything goes’ competition and it shows how intense the storyline got. Long story short: this movie is a very underrated and an unpopular movie. It was released prematurely and its marketing was belittled so it only gained a cult following when it was released on VHS and DVD. 5 stars hands down!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/27/24

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Rhino N

This is a great comedy - The whole cast is great. Jack Warden is awesome.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/13/24

Full Review

Jack S

Mildly amusing comedy elevated by some fine supporting work from Warden and Graham. But the film’s biggest laughs (as well as the sharpest comic performance) is really delivered by Toby, the car dealer’s mascot, an hilariously adorable beagle!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/02/24

Full Review

Brett H

Wow, 44 years now. Saw this new at .. the drive in. Have seen it eight or ten times since and it holds up pretty well. Just a fun roadrunner/coyote type movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/02/24

Full Review

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Robert Zemeckis

Director

Kurt Russell

Rudolph "Rudy" Russo

Jack Warden

Roy L. Fuchs

Gerrit Graham

Jeff

Frank McRae

Jim

Deborah Harmon

Barbara Jane Fuchs

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Synopsis

Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell) is an unscrupulous car salesman who aspires to become a politician. In the meantime, however, Rudy works for the nice but ineffective automobile dealer Luke Fuchs (Jack Warden). When Luke dies, Rudy takes over the lot, but he faces stiff competition from the scheming Roy L. Fuchs (also Warden) who wants his brother's business for himself. In order to get more customers, Rudy and Roy each devise ridiculous promotions to gain the upper hand.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Bob Gale
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 11, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Runtime: 1h 53m

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