IMDb > Ruthless People (1986)
Ruthless People
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Ruthless People (1986) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   9,396 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Dale Launer (written by) and
O. Henry (story)
Contact:
View company contact information for Ruthless People on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
27 June 1986 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Barbara Stone has just been kidnapped by K-Mart, and what she doesn't know won't hurt her. more
Plot:
A couple, cheated by a vile businessman, kidnap his wife in retalitation, without knowing that their enemy is delighted they did. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
The definitive crazy '80's comedy. more (67 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
93 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Argentina:16 (video rating) | Iceland:12 | USA:PG-13 (re-rated) | USA:TV-14 (uncut) | UK:18 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) (2002) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Bill Pullman's first film. more
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Sam Stone pulls his gun on Ken Kessler the sound of the hammer being pulled back can be heard, but in the next shot the hammer has not been engaged. more
Quotes:
Sam Stone: I'm not asking you to screw the dog, Carol. It's for me! more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Don't You Want My Love more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
17 out of 17 people found the following comment useful.
The definitive crazy '80's comedy., 21 February 2002
Author: Devyalento Latchford Deschanel from London, England

This is one film that can always raise a smile with me. Even now, after all these years, it's still an outrageous, engaging, thoroughly nasty comedy that leaves me in fits of giggles. It has dated quite badly (just check out Sam's house, my god!), but the plot is still as fresh as ever. I love the way it twists so many times, you never know what's going to happen next or who's going to do what. Movies like this can be addictive, and Ruthless People is no exception. Danny DeVito and Bette Midler are fabulous as Sam and Barbara Stone, DeVito doing his evil little man routine with ease and Midler at her usual best. Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater's characters are probably the most unexciting of the bunch, but they bring an endearing quality to Ken and Sandy that make them watchable. Anita Morris and Bill Pullman round out the cast as man-eater Carol and dense Earl (`This could very well be the stupidest man on the face of the Earth', classic!). Ruthless People is unique in that all the characters are quite vulgar and awful, and shouldn't really be all that likeable. But, in a very strange way, they are. It brings out the venomous, and indeed ruthless, side of you as you're rooting for the characters to succeed in their dubious aims. The film ends as it should, and after 90 minutes or so have passed, you realise that you've been laughing non-stop and that this is a comedy to savour. I enjoyed every minute of Ruthless People and I defy anyone to not laugh consistently through this. Genius.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Ruthless People (1986)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Re-rated PG-13??? webguyorlando-1
Song in the beginning huntingbadger
Just a comment about clothes... VelvetVoice
Song ? emiliakc
Ken's Clothes bednorz
How long was she kidnapped for? krisw
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