Alright, settle back into that worn spot on the couch, maybe crack open a Tab if you can find one. Tonight, we’re rewinding to 1986, a year overflowing with cinematic noise, to revisit a comedy so deliciously mean-spirited, it felt like a breath of fresh, toxic air. Forget the broad parodies they were famous for; Ruthless People was where the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team (Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker – yes, the geniuses behind Airplane! (1980)) proved they could orchestrate a tightly-plotted farce with the precision of a Swiss watch, albeit one filled with betrayal, kidnapping, and terrible 80s furniture.
### The Sweetest Revenge is... Complicated
The premise alone is pure gold, simmering with cynical glee. Sam Stone (Danny DeVito, radiating slime like a bespoke suit) is a loathsome garment tycoon, the self-proclaimed "Spandex King," who married his wife Barbara (Bette Midler) for her fortune and now plots her demise with cartoonish villainy. His plans are hilariously thwarted when Barbara is kidnapped before he can off her. The kidnappers, Ken and Sandy Kessler (Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater, radiating bewildered decency), are a sweet, downtrodden couple Sam previously ripped off. They demand a hefty ransom, only to find their victim’s husband celebrating his newfound freedom and flatly refusing to pay a cent. What follows is a masterclass in escalating chaos, a perfectly constructed comedy machine where every betrayal, double-cross, and idiotic move clicks satisfyingly into place. It’s like watching dominos fall, if the dominos were all terrible human beings (except maybe the Kesslers).
### More Than Just Jokes
Unlike the scattergun gags of Airplane! or Top Secret! (1984), Ruthless People relies on Dale Launer's incredibly sharp script (he'd later give us Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) and My Cousin Vinny (1992), so you know the pedigree). The humor here isn't just wacky non-sequiturs; it springs from character, situation, and a plot so intricate it feels almost elegant in its nastiness. It’s a dark comedy that feels surprisingly grounded, even amidst the absurdity. Remember the sheer frustration of the kidnappers realizing their leverage was zero? Or Sam's increasingly desperate attempts to convince the police not to find his wife? This intricate plotting was a hallmark of Launer's writing, supposedly drawing loose inspiration from O. Henry's classic short story "The Ransom of Red Chief," but twisting it into something uniquely avaricious and modern.
The ZAZ team directs with a slightly different energy here too. There’s still a visual flair and comic timing honed from their parody work, but it’s applied to a more traditional narrative structure. They let the actors carry more of the comedic weight, trusting the script's inherent cleverness.
### A Cast Firing on All Cylinders
And what a cast! Danny DeVito is simply iconic as Sam Stone. He dives headfirst into Sam's repellent nature, making him utterly despicable yet somehow magnetic. You hate him, but you can't wait to see what appalling thing he'll do next. This film cemented DeVito as a go-to actor for characters you love to loathe.
Opposite him, Bette Midler delivers a comedic tour-de-force as Barbara. Initially portrayed as shrewish, Barbara transforms under duress into a fitness-obsessed, surprisingly resourceful force of nature. Her scenes bonding (aggressively) with her kidnappers are highlights. This film, alongside Down and Out in Beverly Hills (also 1986), marked a massive career resurgence for Midler, thanks largely to Disney's then-new 'adult' label, Touchstone Pictures, taking a chance on her fiery talent.
Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater provide the heart, such as it is. They are the 'nice' ones caught in this whirlwind of greed, and their mounting panic is pitch-perfect. And let's not forget the supporting players chewing the scenery with gusto: Anita Morris as Sam's scheming mistress Carol, and a wonderfully dense Bill Pullman in one of his earliest roles as Earl Mott, possibly the dumbest would-be murderer in cinematic history. His delivery of lines like "I'm not stupid, I'm dyslexic!" is unforgettable.
### Peak 80s Aesthetic
Visually, Ruthless People is an absolute time capsule of mid-80s excess. The production design by Lilly Kilvert leans heavily into the loud, geometric, and frankly bizarre Memphis Group design movement. Sam and Barbara’s house is a riot of clashing pastels, sharp angles, and furniture that looks deeply uncomfortable. It perfectly mirrors the characters' superficiality and moral bankruptcy. Does anyone else remember pausing the VHS just to take in the sheer audacity of some of those living room sets? It wasn't just background; it felt like another character commenting on the absurdity.
This visual style, combined with Michel Colombier's score and that instantly recognizable title track by Mick Jagger (a decent chart hit back then!), firmly plants the film in its era. Watching it now feels like stepping into a slightly warped, neon-lit version of 1986.
### Why It Still Kills
Ruthless People was a bona fide hit back in the day, pulling in over $71 million domestically on a roughly $14 million budget – that's like making $200 million today, proving audiences were hungry for its brand of cynical humour. Critics largely enjoyed it too, recognizing the tight construction and brilliant performances.
Even now, popping this metaphorical tape into the VCR, the film holds up remarkably well. The plot mechanics are still ingenious, the performances crackle with energy, and the sheer meanness remains refreshingly bracing. It avoids feeling dated because its cynicism about greed feels, if anything, more relevant. There's a distinct lack of CGI gloss, relying instead on sharp editing, killer dialogue, and actors who understood comedic timing down to the microsecond. It feels handmade in the best way possible.
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VHS Heaven Rating: 9/10
Justification: Ruthless People is a near-perfect execution of 80s dark farce. The script is airtight, the ZAZ direction is precise, and the cast, led by unforgettable turns from DeVito and Midler, is phenomenal. It captures the era's aesthetic while delivering laughs that stem from brilliant plotting and delightfully despicable characters. Minor dated elements aside, its comedic engine still purrs like a well-oiled, albeit slightly evil, machine.
Final Rewind: A gloriously nasty piece of work that reminds you just how funny unchecked avarice and incompetence could be, especially framed by questionable interior design choices. It's the kind of sharp, adult comedy that felt like a guilty pleasure found on the video store shelf, and it still delivers a knockout punchline.