Hold-up à New York

This is one of the best comedies I've seen. Bill Murray not only stars but directs this one, and he should be damn proud of his accomplishment. This movie is a laugh-fest.

You won't regret watching this one. The three main players are all in their apex. Murray is fantastic as usual and Randy Quaid is hysterical. Tony Shalhoub has a small but VERY memorable part.

This is one of those rare, great, infinitely "quotable" movies. There's irony, sarcasm, slapstick, you can find all kinds of humor here, and even some suspense to keep things interesting. This is great to watch with friends, there are a couple of scenes that will almost certainly make you spit your soda.

You want to laugh, watch this. Definitely an underrated comedy classic.

9/10

Not many people I've talked to have seen "Quick Change". It wasn't really a hit, which is what makes it such a nice surprise when you see a film like this which is very funny. Maybe that's partially why I enjoyed the film so much, as it makes me feel a little bit like a pirate who's discovered lost treasure, or like an explorer who's conquered uncharted territory.

It may not be Bill Murray's best, but it's pretty good. But make no mistake, this is a Bill Murray movie, he even co-directed it, and if you don't like him in general, then this film isn't likely to make a convert out of you. I've always been a fan, and try to forgive certain transgressions like "Larger Than Life" or "The Man Who Knew Too Little" which are the kinds of films I avoid completely for fear that it will taint my high regard for Mr. Murray. They might be good, but I'm not taking any chances without some seriously reliable source that assures me they aren't merely "paycheques" for those involved. But in case some of you think the man has lost it, never to recapture any of his past glory, probably you should check out "Rushmore," and see a true master at work.

"Quick Change" has a story that is fun and the lines are executed with razor sharp comic timing. So what if some of the characters are one-dimensional? It gets the job done and sets up the bits and not in a low-brow kind of way.

I'd be interested to hear what New York residents think of this film, as its story revolves around three people who just want to escape New York forever and find that robbing a bank is easier than making it to the airport.

So if you consider yourself a member of the Bill Murray fan club, check this one out and you'll probably enjoy it. He's got plenty of support from some talented comedic actors including Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Phil Hartman, Jason Robards and of course Randy Quaid and Geena Davis.

This is a clever and entertaining comedy that has some dramatic and romantic touches as well. It's almost two movies-in-one: a dramatic holdup and a comic getaway. The holdup scene does has comedy but is more dramatic. It reminded me of the '70s classic "Dog Day Afternoon" in which the hostages are kept by a couple of robbers and the crooks demand the normal assortment of getaway vehicles. Except in here, ringleader Bill Murray wants a "monster truck" along with everything else. You know with Murray you are going to get outrageous humor and satire.

Anyway, the bulk of the film concerns what happens after the trio - Murray, Randy Quaid and Geena Davis - after they successfully escape the holdup. The bottom line is that they just can't get out of New York City. One disaster after another keeps happening, and it's all kind funny (and frustrating!). The ending I won't spoil.

Murray plays his normal wise-guy role and Quaid is good as the emotional slapstick-type buffoon. For some reason, the scene in which Quaid runs full-tilt into a newspaper stand and knocks himself out almost had me in tears laughing. Davis complements the two with her coolness and eye candy for the male audience. Veteran Jason Robards plays the chief detective on the case, and shows comedic touches of his own.

What also is fun to watch nowadays is Tony Shalhoub. When this film came out, hardly anyone knew him. Now he's famous as "Monk" on the television series of the same name. In this film, he plays an Arabic cab driver and you have to see this performance to believe it! A couple of other familiar faces also show up in here, including Bob Elliot from the old radio duo of "Bob and Ray."

There is no sex, no bloodshed, just a lot of jokes but the "R" rating ought to tell you something about the language in here. The jokes and story were good enough on their own and didn't need all the profanity.

Funny remake starring Bill Murray, Geena Davis and Randy Quaid as down-on-their-luck thieves who rob a bank and then have a hard time getting out of NYC. Funny from beginning to end. Well, almost. The last twenty minutes or so seem to drag a bit. But I loved the first 3/4, and the opening sequence is tremendous!

Bill Murray is very funny and Randy Quaid is a likable goofball. Geena Davis manages to impress but the real star is Murray, as always. All in all a pleasant way to spend an evening and certainly a memorable comedy--if a slightly uneven one.

4/5 stars.

• John Ulmer

This movie is, combined with some popcorn and a coke, perfect for an enjoyable TV evening. But I wouldn't recommend watching this movie on the big screen, because the irritating character Loomis, played by Randy Quaid, will attract too much attention. I noticed how everytime Quaid said something (mostly while nodding his head hysterically or while jumping around) my eyes focused on something else than the TV, and it's hard to focus on something else when all you can see is the big screen in front of you. I know the character needs to be like that but it still irritates me.

Bill Murray however acts almost perfect. He has to play, as usual, the guy who makes sarcastic remarks or who acts like nothing has happened when everything goes wrong, and he's so damn good at it. Geena Davis has a crappy part, with a character that almost constantly changes her opinion, but she still manages to make something out of it.

There's nothing specific to say about directing or music or whatever, those are the quite-good-but-nothing-special-type of things that make this movie perfect for TV.

7/10