The Blues Brothers (1980)

On "a mission from God," brothers Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) tear up Chicago in inimitable style. The flimsy plot, in which the brothers try to raise money to save their childhood orphanage by reuniting their old band, is a good excuse for a series of comic vignettes and lovingly realized musical scenes. The film is an unapologetic homage to rhythm-and-blues in all its popular derivatives, from Cab Calloway to James Brown to Aretha Franklin, all of whom appear, along with other musicians, in the film. Having Carrie Fisher play Jake's homicidal ex-girlfriend was one of the film's many brilliant uses of cameos. This overlong (135-minute) John Landis-directed comedy's dead spots are forgotten in the euphoria of the coolest, funniest car chase scene ever shot. The Blues Brothers became an enduring favorite and a television evergreen because its protagonists live out the wishes of legions of white soul-music aficionados, and rarely have Saturday Night Live alumni so successfully transformed a TV routine into a feature-length film, despite many attempts. Belushi and Aykroyd are at the top of their deadpan game. The 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000 sorely missed Belushi and the original's fresh energy. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide