Brewster's Millions

Name: Brewster's Millions
Genre: Comedy
Released: May 22, 1985
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 37
Cast: Hume Cronyn, Jerry Orbach, Joe Grifasi, John Candy, Lonette McKee

1985

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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Brewster's Millions

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 22, 1985 | PG

Starring: Hume Cronyn, Jerry Orbach, Joe Grifasi, John Candy, Lonette McKee, Pat Hingle, Peter Jason, Richard Pryor, Stephen Collins, Tovah Feldshuh

Summary: A minor league baseball player (Richard Pryor) has to spend thirty million dollars in thirty days, in order to inherit three hundred million dollars. However, he's not allowed to tell anyone about the deal.

Director: Walter Hill

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 102 min

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Critic Reviews

Laurie Horn

Pryor and director Walter Hill do a competent job collaborating on comic pace in Brewster's Millions. But the screenplay by Herschel Weingrod and Timothy Harris isn't audacious enough to twist the ending and let Pryor's character grow. Brewster's Millions is a pleasant summer laugh, but it's not comedy that bites.

Rita Kempley

It's an amusing vehicle for Pryor and Candy, amiable partners wallowing in monetary ecstasy. [24 May 1985, p.25]

Empire William Thomas

A satisfying come-down by the director, who stays safely within, rather than pushes against comedy conventions. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

The ideas here aren't nearly up to the scratch that writers Herschel Weingrod and Timothy Harris established in Trading Places. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

It’s hard to believe a comedy starring Richard Pryor and John Candy is no funnier than this one is, but director Walter Hill has overwhelmed the intricate genius of each with constant background action, crowd confusions and other endless distractions. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Normally, this situation comedy would provide its own built-in laughs, but here the situations are dominated by Pryor's forced, manic behavior, which removes him from empathy and offers the subservient story nothing more than casual interest. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Dim, compromised, and dead on arrival. Read full review

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User Reviews

Kai82

Oct 23, 2021

This movie is not liked by critics and a lot of fans. However for me it hits all the right buttons and I love the idea for the story. Story set up: Monty Brewster is an African America Minor League Baseball player near the end of his mixed career. When he is arrested after a bar fight thatThis movie is not liked by critics and a lot of fans. However for me it hits all the right buttons and I love the idea for the story. Story set up: Monty Brewster is an African America Minor League Baseball player near the end of his mixed career. When he is arrested after a bar fight that erupted after a game an unfamiliar man offered to solve this problem. In exchange he had to come to New York with him. The man is a lawyer from a law firm and has some surprising news for him. Brewster is told that an old rich white man named Rupert Horn that he never met or knew existed was actually his great uncle. There is a video testament that explains a lot of this (Wont spoil). He is the only relative and he left him his fortune of 300 million dollars. However there is a catch. Rupert Horn does not want his fortune wasted and had an idea. In his youth he smoked a cigarette when he was far to young. His dad caught him and demanded as punishment that he smoked all cigarettes in the packet. This was a horrible experience but also healthy as he never smoked another cigarette in his life. He will do something similar with Monty. He can get 1 million and leave without any further restrictions. However to get the 300 millions he has to spend 30 millions in 30 days. This will make spending money a horrible experience. Anyone reading this now has ideas how this can be done in hours but Robert Horn is no moron. All easy ways out are forbidden. He cant donate or gamble more than 5% of his money or buy works of art and use them to fuel the fire in his chimney. Also he cant tell anyone about this and the law firm will control him. Of cause there a benefactors if he fails and so he has additional enemies. With this the story starts. I like the concept, creative idea and whole situation. It is a bit crazy but also relatable. Might actually work as it can be explained with condition like Pawlow’s dog. I do not know if I could succeed here and remember with inflation the 30 million from 1985 were the movie is made were equal to approx 76,4 million today in 2021. As sidenote inflation is a scary thing. Back to the movie. This story won me easily over. Recently I discovered that it is based on a book of the same name by George Barr McCutheon. I have not read it so I cant say if its a good adaptation. Lets go to the actors. Richard Pryor is Montgomery (Monty) Brewster. I like his performance and his humor. However other say he is funnier and / or better in nearly all other roles. I cant tell if they are right because it is the only movie with him I remember which is normal as most of his movie were filmed before my birth and I am not a US citizen. I say he fully delivered for me. John Candy plays Spike Nolan who is Monty’s best friend that does not know about the situation and wants to prevent his friend from ending in poverty. John Candy always delivers and is truly good. Hume Cronyn as Rupert Horn has not much screen time and delivers like a boss. Even after dead he cant be tricked. Then we have Lonette McKee as Angela Drake who is a paralegal of the law firm that accompanies him and keep track. She is really good here. Stephen Collins plays Warren Cox which I cant spoil more details. However I like his performance. The others did a good job too. I have to warn you that others dislike the performance a bit but for me in a comedy this is more than enough. The cast delivers and it was enjoyable. Overall I see this as hidden gem that I recommend even if others dislike it. The idea alone impressed me and it was enjoyable. I give an 8/10 here.… Expand

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DogeGamer2015

Jan 26, 2022

Es una comedia con Richard Pryor y John Candy; es muy disfrutable y recomendable.

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