Rating of
3/4
Aykroyd and Murphy at their best!
MovieAddict - wrote on 06/26/12
A successful spoiled, snooty stockbroker Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) has everything he needs, money, a mansion and manservant Coleman (Elliott Denholm - excellent as the humble butler). He is also a member of the Philadelphia upper crust prestigious club and he is about to marry. Life couldn't be better.
On the other side of the community is Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy), a hustling wise ass con-artist posing as a crippled Vietnam Veteran with hardly any knowledge of the business world and who frequently is in trouble with the police.
When Valentine is one day is arrested for assault, after accidentally bumping in to Winthorpe, Winthorpe's callous employees, the elderly Duke brothers, Randolph (Ralph Bellamy) and Mortimer (Don Ameche) make a wager of the usual amount (1 dollar) that by swapping these two guys lifestyle, Billy will make good, while Louis will might resort to criminal behavior.
So they make bail for Valentine, give him a good home and clothes (Winthorpe's home and clothes) and put him in charge of their firm. On the other hand they frame Winthorpe, having him arrested as a thief and drug dealer. They have his assets frozen and destroy his marriage by hiring a hooker (Jamie Lee Curtis) who claims to be Winthorpe's girlfriend. Now the Dukes sit back and watch to see if Valentine can thrive and if Winthorpe will resort to violence and crime. The scene where he shows up at the country club in his 2nd-hand clothes and all his supposed "friends" snub him is both tragic and funny at the same time.
The experiment backfires as their subjects eventually undertake significant personal growth, befriend each other, and exact a fitting revenge with the assistance of a prostitute with a heart of gold, Ophelia who is prepared to help Winthorpe get his old life back.
A little dated in its humor but Trading Places is still a fun film to watch.
