The Blues Brothers (a review)

In an attempt to showcase my writing flexibility I have decided to try my hand at a film review. Wossy, eat your heart out.

"We're on a mission from God"

DO YOU LIKE to shake your tail feather? No doubt you will after watching this 1978 cult classic.

The Blues Brothers is being performed on stage in Brighton over the coming weeks and it is not hard to see why audience's keep coming back for more.

This rhythm and blues fuelled musical will get you tapping your toes from the Palace Hotel Ballroom, Illinois to the Jailhouse in Chicago. 

Directed by John Landis, this starstudded cast headed by Dan Akyroyd and John Belushi will take you on an adventure of redemption, car chases and... Nazis. 

It is the story of ‘Joliet’ Jake Blues who upon his release from prison is collected by his brother, Elwood, in a police car. Their car the aptly named ‘Bluesmobile’ becomes the catalyst for one of the most humanising adventures to hit the big screen to date.

 The scene is set by Elwood informing Jake that the Catholic orphanage where the pair grew up in Working Class Chicago is due to be closed down after failure to pay taxes. 

After a meeting with ‘the Penguin’ (a resident nun of their orphanage) the brothers decide to embark on their “mission from God” by reforming their old R&B band to pay off the debt, not forgetting to stop by for a swing with greats such as Cab Calloway, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, John Lee Hooker and Ray Charles along the way.

When this film was first released it amassed $57million, making it the ninth most popular musical of all time. Originally based on a Saturday Night Live sketch, Jake and Elwood are never far from trouble. 

Initially engaging in a car chase with the police through a shopping mall (one of the funniest and adrenalin pumping scenes!) the sunglass wearing duo are eventually pursued by the army, Red Neck country singers, twisted neo Nazis not to mention Jake’s ex wife who has more than a flirting attraction with big guns and explosives.

 This film almost nostaligically portrays a fit and healthy looking Akroyd with an alive Belushi in an adventure for all the family to enjoy. This film can bring people of all races and creeds together in the name of music and love in such a way that once you have seen this film you will want to echo the words of Jake Blues himself: “Jesus H. Tap Dancing Christ! I have seen the light!”

"I have seen THE LIGHT!"