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Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Frank McRae, Gerrit Graham, Deborah Harmon ... see more see more... , Joe Flaherty , David L. Lander , Michael McKean , Michael Talbott , Harry Northrup , Alfonso Arau , Al Lewis , Woodrow Parfrey , Andrew Duncan , Dub Taylor , Claude Earl Jones , Dan Barrows , Cheryl Rixon Davis , John Abbott , Gene Blakely , Russ Fega , Sam Ingraffia , Terence Knox , Marc McClure , Dick Miller , Wendie Jo Sperber , Rita Taggart , Tiny Wells , Melinda Wood Allen , Betty Thomas , Dave Adams , Mildred Brion , Sandy Gibbons

Used Cars is one of Robert Zemeckis' pre-Roger Rabbit and pre-Forrest Gump efforts starring Kurt Russell is a devious car salesman who goes to work for affable but monumentally unsuccessful used car d... read more read more...ealer Jack Warden. Warden's principal rival is his more prosperous twin brother, also played by Warden, who schemes to take over the "good" brother's lot. After a series of raunchy vignettes, the film boils down to an every-man-for-himself price war between the two Wardens, which rages on even after we're one Warden short. The supporting cast of Used Cars is populated by such reliables as David L. Lander, Michael McKean, Al Lewis, Dub Taylor, Dick Miller and Betty Thomas. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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63% liked it

7,280 ratings

Critics

76% liked it

17 critics

R, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Release Date: July 18, 1980

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DVD Release Date: February 5, 2002

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Flixster Reviews (379)

  • ajv2688
    January 10, 2011
    ajv2688
    A hilarious adventure comedy with a good story. I loved it.
  • briandeguelle
    October 29, 2009
    briandeguelle
    80's classic ,one of kurt russel and robert zemeckis forgotten gems.Ok its dated but they dont make them like this anymore,not even the recent "the goods,live hard,sell hard can beat this.....find it and watch it now..
  • CloudStrife84
    April 11, 2009
    CloudStrife84
    My least favourite of all of Robert Zemeckis' movies, but a fairly amusing (not to say really wacky and kinky) comedy in any case. The plotline, about two rivaling used cars salesmen who will go to any length to put the other out of business, is pretty much as simple as it gets. ... read morePerhaps a little too simple, as it would probably have worked better as an SNL sketch or something, as opposed to a full-length movie. It sure has its moments though and was funny enough to be worth the watch.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    March 8, 2009
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Rober Zemeckis actually directed a fun movie in his career? With Kurt Russell dressed in full disco gear? And it's actually an acid comedy instead of some stupid feel-good crap? Damn, hollywood did used to have better days.
  • deano
    February 10, 2008
    deano
    This is a riotous account of two feuding used-car businesses. Jack Warden and Kurt Russell are both excellent in this overlooked comedy. Fine support is offered by Frank McRae, Gerrit Graham, and Deborah Harmon.

    This is the best and funniest moments of competing car and girls... read more in nudity. Whoo!
  • crossbladezero
    March 14, 2012
    crossbladezero
    Man, what is up with Bob Zemeckis and cars... as well as subtle visual effects, sweeping camera shots, not-too-distant period pieces (I know "Beowulf" looks like it takes place in ye olde Europe, but I'm pretty sure they didn't invent the curves Angie Jolie's character had in tha... read moret film until the 1900s) and cartoons? I think he just likes cartoons because of the "car" at the beginning of the word, because first, he makes the ultimate DeLorean commercial, "Back to the Future", and now he's dishing out this little number. Yes, I'm aware that this film came out five years before "Back to the Future", but I imagine that Zemeckis traveled back in time after he made "BTF" and made this film, right before he investigated a murder they believe was done by a cartoon, contacted aliens, got stuck on an island for three years and learned the true meaning of Christmas while in animated form twice, because I like to think that directors actually do stuff that's in their movies. Hey, I'm not completely off, because David Fincher, like Mark Zuckerberg in "The Social Network", appears to have some degree of aspergers. Actually, I'm not going to say that the Finch has aspergers, and not just because I wouldn't want to offend the greatest director alive or because he might get mad and pummel my face to the point of swelling like in "Fight Club" (Come on, now we can't afford to destroy something this beauti...I'm sorry I can't even type that with a straight face, if you want to call what I have a face), but because when you look at "Se7en" and see how he just let Brad Pitt go ahead with his "acting" during the "Box" scene, he clearly has a sense of humor. Well, I guess that it's safe to say that Bob Zemeckis is way out of the clear when it comes to having aspergers, because, woah boy, does he have a sense of humor. Still, as much as this film "drives" home the laughs, it gets there a little slowly.

    In recent years, Bob Zemeckis has become an excellent, very diverse filmmaker, but, when he was coming up, I hate to say it, but he just made the same-old-same-old, and sure enough this is the same-old-same-old. It's about as slow, underdeveloped and plagued with somewhat unlikable leads as your usual early Zemeckis farce. Still, there are some new aspects to the film, only a couple of those aspects aren't terribly welcomed, such as a lack of narrative. By that, I mean that the film's storytelling lacks oomph and resonance, limping along with no real feeling of progression or, for that matter, point. It's an aimless film, yet not the same way something like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is aimless, where it's just one comedic set piece after another, because this film is with a story; not much of one, but a story nevertheless, and with an emotionally-lacking execution of that story, as well as the typical slow, underdeveloped and disconnecting moments found in an early Zemeckis farce further diluting the momentum of the film, mediocrity - at best - is all too predictable of a result. Of course, really, at this point, do I really have to tell you guys that Zemeckis more than bypasses mediocrity yet again? It's not a knockout, nor is it that film that gives us the taste of Zemeckis' fabulous new style that could have helped it even more, yet, at the end of the day, the film is saved by the fact that Zemeckis sells his jokes like the people in the film sells their cars: Through some dirty, crude tricks, yet ones that you just can't resist.

    As much as I complain about this being a very conventional early Zemeckis comedy, outside of the premise and limp storytelling, something that's different about this film is the fact it's jokes are more mean-spirited and discomforting than ever. We're talking shock value after shock value, maybe not to a new "South Park" level, where two minutes in, you know that it's not going to anywhere but down, what with its absence of any versatility in the humor (Sorry fans of the newer episodes of "South Park", maybe you just need to get better taste), but you're bound to feel a little uncomfortable here and there. Of course, even if the film's shock value was as relentlessly one-note as that of "South Park", Zemeckis would still win you over, because although he never really killed it dead with his comedy, he consistently charmed. Well, sure enough, regardless of its ulikable characters and shock value, the film still delivers on enough charm to keep you going, if not just laughing yourself silly. For that, props to the performers, none of whom I can praise enough; and no, by that, I don't mean that they're giving masterful performances, I mean that I seem to always have to praise actors in a movie, even a comedy. Of course, there's always a reason for that, just like there's a reason now, and that reason is that this cast, while nothing to write home about, is colorful and jam-packed with charisma. Really, there's not a whole lot to praise about this film, yet it's not aiming to recieve high praise; just to charm the audience and leave it ultimately rewarded for their viewing, and when it comes to that, this film does its job well while growing more and more lively and entertaining at it progresses to really reward the audience, as you would expect it to, considering Zemeckis' name on it, because as we all know, anything with Zemeckis' name on it doesn't stand a chance of slipping u-oh wait, "1941"; nice going, Spielberg, maybe you should just leave your buddy's/counterpart's scripts in his hands.

    At the end of this big blowout, don't expect to drive off satisfied from a substance standpoint, not just because of the underdevelopment, unlikable characters and frequent slowness that you usually found in some of Zemeckis' early work, but because of the limp storytelling, yet when it comes to a comedic standpoint, it delivers as sharpy as your typical classic Robert Zemeckis comedy, featuring all of the charm in both the direction and colorful cast that ultimately leaves "Used Cars" to, like Zemeckis' other early cruises down comedy road, leave you generally satisfied when it comes to your humor quota.

    2.5/5 - Fair
  • moviefan1725
    May 8, 2011
    moviefan1725
    The only R-rated movie from director Robert Zemekis is one of the great unsung comedies of the 1980's. Kurt Russell is at his best as Rudy Russo, a fast talking used car saleman that will do anything for the sale. He's so adept at lying, cheating, and telling people what they wan... read moret to hear, that he realizes his true calling...politics.

    His boss agrees to loan him $10,000 so he can buy a local election to the state senate. But his boss dies before he can give him the loan, so now Rudy has to sell every car he can to come up with the money. He's hampered in every attempt by his boss' nefarious brother, who just happens to own another used car lot across the street. As politically incorrect as they come, the movie is a non-stop laugh riot that holds up today, despite the trappings of being made in 1980. While Kurt Russell is the star, the movie belongs to the late Jack Warden, who plays the dual parts of Roy and Luke Fuchs. Luke, the kindly one, and Roy, the ultimate sleazeball.

    There are so many classic scenes in this movie, it's impossible to list them. But the standouts have to be the two illegal commercials Rudy and his co-workers broadcast during a football game, and the presidential address. Suffice it to say that neither one goes right, and we get results ranging from full frontal female nudity, to exploding cars. Also there is a scene where the salesman are in full swing and telling people everything they want to hear to sell a car. They even get their dog to play dead so a potential customer will feel guilt ridden about running the dog over, that he'll buy the car.

    The movie got buried in its initial release, opening the same day as Airplane. As great as that movie is, Used Cars is even funnier. The dvd of this movie contains an audio commentary by Robert Zemekis, Kurt Rusell, and co-writer Bob Gale. It is the single greatest commentary in dvd history, and the stories they tell about making this movie are even funnier than the movie itself. Believe me, that's saying something.
  • leekyle1968
    July 5, 2009
    leekyle1968
    Not a bad movie featuring fresh out of disney role actor Kurt Russell.
  • DrStrangeblog
    April 26, 2009
    DrStrangeblog
    Completely un-PC comedy but who really cares, what can you expect from a couple sleazy used car dealerships? Kurt Russell is great as fast-talking salesman and Jack Warden a hoot in a double role as brothers who own competing neighboring lots. Some good car stunts, plus the mos... read moret dangerous stunt I can recall performed by an actual actor: Gerrit Graham stops his car, gets out, walks backward across the highway while talking to himself, and a car traveling 30-40 mph swerves just in time to miss him by only 3 feet, and Graham continues his walk and speech across the road without even reacting to the car!
  • nickymo89
    July 20, 2007
    nickymo89
    Dated but funny and totally politically incorrect.

View All Used Cars Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dan Jardine
August 13, 2010
Dan Jardine, Cinemania

The film's incessant assault on its characters and their perverse quest for the American Holy Grail (money and power) has the pacing and energy of a 1930's zany screwball comedy, but is much darker in... Full Review

Dan Jardine
August 13, 2010
Dan Jardine, Slant Magazine

The film's incessant assault on its characters and their perverse quest for the American Holy Grail (money and power) has the pacing and energy of a 1930's zany screwball comedy, but is much darker in... Full Review

Daniel Eagan
August 10, 2004
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International

Biting comedy

Ken Hanke
October 22, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

It's better than most Zemeckis movies -- for what that's worth.

Jeremy Heilman
May 22, 2002
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com

The romantic subplot, like nearly everything else here, is a total lemon. Full Review

Bill Chambers
February 4, 2002
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central

...Makes us wish that Robert Zemeckis had directed every T&A comedy [of the 1980s] Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Jake Euker
February 18, 2007
Jake Euker, F5 (Wichita, KS)

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Used Cars Trivia

  • In 2 Fast 2 Furious the cars Paul & Tyrese used were not avaliable to buy in the U.S. or Canada at the time they were filming.  Answer »
  • In which film are all three of these cars used in? - Mitsubushi lancer evolution, Nissan skyline gt-r and the dodge charger  Answer »
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