Down and Out in Beverly Hills: A Totally '80s Slice of Life (with Surprisingly Good Sound)

Okay, so I finally got around to watching "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (yeah, I know, late to the party). Honestly, I went in expecting a pretty standard '80s comedy and... well, it is. But there's something about it that's kinda stuck with me. Judge Reinhold is hilarious as the put-upon Dave Whiteman, and Bette Midler is, of course, amazing. But what I really noticed – and maybe it's just the tech geek in me – was how well the sound design actually works. Specifically, the scene where Jerry Baskin (Nick Nolte) first shows up, trying to off himself in the pool. The way they use the echo and reverb in the water, mixed with the frantic yelling, really builds the tension. It's subtle, but it's there. And the visual effects, while minimal, are effective too. The dream sequences are suitably surreal without being overly cheesy. It's really the feel of the movie that hits. The way they juxtapose the opulence of Beverly Hills with Jerry's raw, unfiltered perspective is pretty brilliant. Yeah, some of the jokes haven't aged super well, especially with today's sensibilities, and there were definitely some offensive stereotypes, but overall it's got heart. I think, though, the true brilliance is that it's an allegory about how we are a product of our environments, and wealth creates and fosters behaviors, some better, some worse. I will say, the ending felt a little rushed. Like they didn't quite know how to wrap everything up in a satisfying way, but I guess most comedies from that era had that issue. Oh, and the dog is totally the star. The whole scene where the dog gets addicted to tranquilizers is both hilarious and...slightly disturbing, haha. I'm not saying it's a cinematic masterpiece, but it's a fun watch, especially if you're into that '80s aesthetic and appreciate some solid sound work. Plus, anything with Bette Midler is at least worth a look, right? Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something light and funny with a little bit of substance. I'm giving it like, a solid 7/10. Now I need to find the soundtrack somewhere because there's no way that score isn't amazing...