Doctor Detroit (1983)

Pretty Good

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Here's one of those Ackroyd films, I decided to snub, but after some curiosity, when seeing the start of it, one night on t.v. where it's opening song and Ackroy's brisk walking routine, is really what did it. Hell, even when he stops, he keeps this exercise strategy in tow. There is little humor here, some which rather has you smirking on the inside. When some heavy hitters, come down on middle aged pimp, Hesseman, he decides to bail, but getting an idiot substitute to fill his role, and guess who. Ackroyd's shy vulnerable character is also a history teacher, hardly has time to sleep. He still lives with his parents, and as causing much envy to a lot of viewers, does have a way with the ladies, his ho's, like the sexy Donna Dixon, and a younger and thinner, Fran Drescher, who's much so less annoying in this. A woman, a memorable butt ugly type (Yeah, I've seen her somewhere before?) n runs the collection racket, where Ackroyd ends up doubling, as the infamous Doctor Detroit, and nice caring parents, not knowing anything about his new job, where cause of this, he has to juggle a couple of professions. In the early part of the film, to be honest, I didn't realize what the story actually was, as I think more detail should of gone into it, to clarify it more. But this is a bad movie, nonetheless, where at times it's a ridiculously stupid movie. Ackroyd though does put in a good performance, where unjustly, he's just lumbered with a stupid movie, and one, he won't be remembered for.

In one of many goofy roles, Dan Aykroyd plays uptight Prof. Clifford Skridlow, who finds a new lease on life when he poses as a pimp. "Doctor Detroit" is mostly an excuse for a series of silly situations, but they know how to make it funny. No, this isn't his best movie, but he always has some gags up his sleeve, and the movie isn't pretending to be anything that it isn't. Aykroyd would play a similar role in 1988's "The Couch Trip", but this is the original.So, even if this movie can only be classified as "cute", then so be it. Dan Aykroyd will always be a comic genius, with or without John Belushi. Also starring Donna Dixon (whom Aykroyd married soon after this movie) and Fran Drescher.

I think this is one of the most under-appreciated comedies of the 80's. Behind the light comedy in the foreground of this flick is a ton of tongue-in-cheek jokes that, frankly, I just didn't get when I was 14. For example, Akroyd, in the middle of his bizarre adventure, calls the limo driver "Sancho" in one scene. If you find that funny (which would require getting the reference) lines like that pepper the movie. It's really a fun show. I'm sorry I went 20 years without seeing it again.It doesn't stand up budget-wise to his big movies, but if you come to it without any particular expectations, I think you'll be quite pleasantly surprised.

This may be my very favorite comedy of the 1980s. Dan Aykroyd plays a hilarious dual role as the mild-mannered Clifford Skridlow and the off-the-wall Dr. Detroit. Howard Hesseman is perfect as a pimp who can't take the heat and puts the blame on Aykroyd to take care of things. It may not be the best written of the '80s comedies, but the unforgettable characters and situations make this a movie that you'll want to watch over and over again. Please release this on DVD! I can't stand my laserdisc copy anymore!