Brothers Mortimer and Randolph Duke are wealthy commodity brokers, who decide to mix one of their bets with a little social experiment. So after setting up one of their leading employees, Louis, for crimes he didn't commit, they give his job and home to a homeless hustler, to see what happens to both of them.
by NO BYLINE |
Published on
Release Date:
01 Jan 1983
Running Time:
118 minutes
Certificate:
15
Original Title:
Trading Places
A fish-out-of water comedy employing the old role-reversal ruse, Aykroyd is the aristocratic guru of a commodity brokerage owned by two conniving elderly brothers (Bellamy and Ameche) who gets sucked into a Prince And The Pauper life swap with street hustler Eddie Murphy, the result of a wager.
Saturday Night Live activist Murphy, capitalising on the promise he showed in 48 HRS, steals the show as the quick-witted Billy Ray Valentine in what is certainly more mainstream fare than the earlier SNL staffed capers, enhanced by a sort of fairytale factor as the riches-to-rags Aykroyd teams up with hooker Jamie Lee Curtis (wife of SNL's Christopher Guest, incidentally) to exact revenge
The Saturday Night Live veterans Murphy and Ackroyd are the show-stealers here in this decent family comedy.
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