Trading Places - ep95

Nature vs. nurture. Eddie Murphy vs. the establishment. Jamie Lee Curtis vs. shirts. “Trading Places,” from John Landis, is one of the defining Murphy comedies of the 80s. Plus Dan Aykroyd is there doing a “rich” accent! You know the story: Two evil rich guys (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) orchestrate a bet in which down-on-his-luck Murphy gets thrust into an extravagant lifestyle. Meanwhile, Aykroyd plays the poor employee who gets everything stripped away, but it’s okay because at least he gets to hang out with Jamie Lee Curtis.

The Old Millennials discuss the enduring relevance of the film’s message about privilege and opportunity, and they even tread through some of the thorny racial issues that pop up here too. Plus you know we gotta talk about the Belushi in the ape costume.

Lots of topless women in this movie. (Begins a Jerry Seinfeld accent) “What’s the deal with 80s comedies and random nudity?” And is Dan Aykroyd a good actor? That’s a more complicated discussion than you might expect. And yes, the Old Millennials also walk through the complicated climax set on the commodities trading floor (something about orange juice), and Tyler still doesn’t understand what’s going on. Look, he’s not really a numbers guy, okay?

One thing’s for sure – Eddie Murphy crushes this movie. Oh and Marcus Brody from “Indiana Jones” rules too (Denholm Elliott).

Also discussed on this episode:

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Soul (2020)
Spontaneous (2020)
Sound of Metal (2020)
Possessor (2020)
Cats (2019)
Kung Fu Panda Trilogy
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (final season)
Bridgerton (television series)
Imposter (television series)

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