Ruthless People: Underrated Dark Comedy Gold!

Okay, so I just re-watched "Ruthless People" (1986) and I'm reminded why I adore it. It's SO cynical and over-the-top, but in the best way. I'm honestly not sure who directed it off the top of my head (let me look it up... OK it was David Zucker!), but whoever was in charge knew exactly what they were doing with the tone. The whole premise is just gleefully absurd: Sam Stone, played perfectly by Danny DeVito, is a seriously awful guy who wants his awful wife Barbara (Bette Midler, iconic) kidnapped! And then everything just spirals out of control in the most hilarious ways. What I find really interesting from a film student perspective is how they use visual comedy. Like, DeVito's reactions alone are pure gold, but the staging and timing of certain scenes really elevate it. Remember when Judge Reinhold's character comes back with the diet shakes? The way they're all positioned in that small room, and how Reinhold delivers those lines, it's just perfect comedic timing. The whole thing is lit like a heightened sitcom, which just adds to the ridiculousness. I think it's a really effective choice that allows all the actors to embrace the cartoonish nature of their characters. I mean, Bette Midler spends most of the movie tied up, and she's still giving you pure comedy gold! The kidnappers, played by Helen Slater and Judge Reinhold are hilarious. Their ineptitude contrasting with Barbara's resilience is a great dynamic. I also appreciate the subtle world-building they do, even if it's just for comedic effect. Beverly D'Angelo as Sam's mistress/co-conspirator is just ridiculously good at playing a dumb blonde, and of course, the scene with her learning Karate is so funny. I'm not saying it's a flawless movie, the 80s soundtrack can be a little much sometimes, but as far as dark comedies go, this one's definitely still got it. Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there! Anyone else a fan? What are your favorite moments? I'm thinking of doing a deeper dive into the comedic timing in the kidnapping scenes for my next project. Maybe I'll finally figure out exactly how they made Reinhold look so goofy in the flashback scenes, lol.