Moving Violations (1985)

Load of rubbish!!

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Many moons ago I reviewed Bachelor Party and said I hated it, calling it a waste of Tom Hanks' talent. After their success with Police Academy, the Israel/Proft team decided to attempt another one-off comedy called Moving Violations. While it has become a forgotten film, it doesn't deserve that fate. It's an above-average film with a likable cast and a fun premise. Its biggest weakness is having its main characters rip off other actors extensively.John Murray (brother of Bill) plays Dana Cannon, a man who runs a nursery for plants. He and a number of other people have been ticketed for various driving violations from corrupt Birch County Deputy Hank Halik (James Keach) and forced to go to Traffic School. They later find out that Halik and equally corrupt Judge Nedra Henderson (Sally Kellerman) are running an illegal car selling scheme where they sell the cars of the people who have had their cars impounded for traffic violations. Of course, the headstrong Mr. Cannon isn't going to take this lying down.Moving Violations, like a lot of 1980's comedies, has an intriguing cast of actors. A mix of one-hit wonders, siblings of major movie actors, T.V. stars and the debut of Don Cheadle make up the cast. John Murray portrays a character similar to his brother mixed with Michael J. Fox and does an excellent job, though it probably hurt his career as an actor because he couldn't come up with an original personality. James Keach's performance reminded me of his brother Stacy's performance as Sgt. Stedenko in Up In Smoke...maybe a little too similar. Jennifer Tilly delivers that sultry voice of hers in one of her early appearances. However, the one who steals the movie from everyone else is Nedra Volz. She plays the blind-as-a-bat Mrs. Loretta Houk who confidently goes about in the world as if she's got 20/20 vision with hilarious results. Seeing her and Clara "Where's the beef?" Peller together in the movie made me mark out. Seeing these senior icons of the 1980's in the same scene? Awesome.It's an 80's film so get ready for all the trappings of the decade but it's not too bad here. Some good sight gags, funny situations, good writing and an inventive place for lovemaking add up to a pretty good film. Certainly worth a look.

In a year that saw a trio of Police Academy type movies, here's one underscored comedy that's a potpouri of laughs and that's what makes good comedies. The script has a lot of awesome lines, in a story about a group of delinquent drivers who are assigned back to traffic school (we've all been there) where the two sour tutors cops (one of them James Keach) who Murray gets off on the wrong foot with at the start, just happen to be corrupt. Troublemaker and head delinquent, John Murray is the magic to the film, to be honest with ya, with an average performance. The others are better. I would of liked to see him in other films, though. His reason for getting thrown back into traffic school is a joke, as another repeating student, who hits a coffin with a puppet stage, propelling it into a freshly dug hole. A half blinded old woman creates side splitting laughter at the start ending up an airport tarmac instead of another road, and the hilarity goes on. The series of accidents, that explains their reasons for ending up at traffic school at the start, is formatted the same way as in that other comedy, Stewardess School, which I openly admit, was a bit funnier than this. All these students too have their cars impounded, by the way, where they have to pay a hefty fee, without a certain period or their cars get auctioned off, as quoted by a ruthless female judge, (Kellerman who's secretly doing Keach). What was great about this, when I first saw it and now, was just watching bitter rivals Murray and Keach go at each other. This movie is one of those infectious ones of cheap laughs, that really doesn't it's flavor or humor ratio. If a fan of these type films, this is an 85' one to see, where laughs are constant without. Jennifer Tilly, (Meg's sister0 not big back then, is cute as one of the students, who's scene with Murray in a gravity chamber is unforgettable, as is the last scene, which is I guess a kind of cruel de jav u of bad luck. Funny, funny, fuuuuu-ny.

After directing Tom Hanks in the comedy smash "Bachelor Party" the year before, Neal Israel would go to take on the traffic school comedy "Moving Violations" with the same fruity results. While I like "Bachelor Party" better, still it's not taking anything away from it, as it had loads of humorous instances consisting of visual gags and gaudy one-liners from a light-headed script. There are some misfires evident, but it's just too pleasant and how can you pass its catchy soundtrack.After losing their licenses for repeated offences a group of drivers are sentenced to traffic school and their cars impounded, but their bitter driving instructors (once highly regarded officers) are making sure they won't easily pass.It's the usual formula, as it has that chaotically nutty vein that flowed through "Police Academy (1984)". Sure it can be dumb and low-brow, but its mishap humour is enjoyably staged. Namely James Keach's uptight shtick as Deputy Halik was a complete hoot and an amusing Nedra Volz's blind as a bat turn as Mrs. Loretta Houk. The cast are committed to their misfit characters and made it more the merrier. A likable John Murray (brother of Bill) chips in with his self-knowing presence, throwing around snappy quips. When Keach and Murray came together is when it livened up. Jennifer Tilly keeps it perky and sincere in a role doesn't really ask a real lot from her. Brian Backer is in a usual dweeb role and a diverting Ned Eisenberg bloodshed happy turn is great (the sequence involving the class watching the tape; Blood flows red on the highway!" shows the slightly disturbing obsession). Which he's tagged obviously as a horror fan (referencing films like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Friday the 13th" films). Lisa Hart Carroll is marvellous as the cold-hearted deputy Virginia Morris and her cat-fight with Sally Kellerman's shrewish character is unforgettable. Also there's pleasurable support by Fred Willard, Wendie Jo Sperber, Willard E. Pugh and Nadine Van der Velde. Other familiar stars in nothing more than minor cameos are Don Cheadle and Dedee Pfeiffer.

Not sure why John Murray didn't do more films - he definitely should have, and hopefully he will do some in the future. True, his acting style is similar to his older brother Bill's, but he's individual enough that he coulda made it big. "Moving Violations" is good. Not great, but it was pretty well directed and it's got its strengths. Actually, it made it into theaters only six months after it was written and filmed - if anything, I'd say that they should have gone back and rewritten and polished up a few things. The plot does get stretched a bit thin over the course of the movie...the best parts come in the beginning and middle. The ending is pretty limp and the whole Judge Henderson/Deputy Halik sexcapade and ensuing car chase sequence just gets boring with all the boffo antics. The character of Scott the Puppeteer, played by Brian Backer (Rat of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High") doesn't develop as well as it should have, and the chick who plays his love interest wasn't written well at all - BUT, Backer's star scene near the beginning with the puppet stage rolling down the hill is a total gut-buster. Despite these few problems, there are enough good gags and Murray definitely keeps the movie afloat. Jennifer Tilly is superb as Amy Hopkins the nimrod rocket scientist. James Keach, Wendie Jo Sperber (who had just done "Back to the Future"), Ned Eisenberg, and Nedra Volz all contribute a lot of positive energy, making "Moving Violations" one of those 'so bad, it's good' movies.