Movie Recommendation: Trading Places
- William James Oliver
- Mar 14
- 1 min read
Director: John Landis Film Date: 1983
By: William James Oliver
Student ID: 2318879
"Trading Places" is a hilarious yet sharp take on the wealth divide. Eddie Murphy stars as a street hustler who swaps lives with Dan Aykroyd’s, snobbish Louis Winthorpe the 3rd, a wealthy broker in a sort of cruel social experiment set up by a couple of benign rich businessmen.
The comedy is spot on, with Murphy and Aykroyd delivering gold. Watching Murphy thrive in high society while Aykroyd crumbles, shows how money plays a big part in shaping success. The acting is superb with Louis’s character evidently dissociating to the realities, and struggles of life without such a huge wallet. The film cleverly exposes the rigged system, proving the rich stay rich through luck, not merit.
Despite being from the 80s, Trading Places still feels relevant today. It makes you laugh while making a point.
Comments