![]() Terrific one-liners, even while still serving up a fever-dream atmosphere that would be explored later in Martin Scorsese's After Hours (long overdue for Blu-ray). The story itself holds mainstream appeal with accessible laughs and Night Shift is at its best when it wanders through the nooks and crannies of a city emerging from the turbulent and grimyġ970s, yet one that's still just colorful enough to be weirdly inviting. This makes his ultimate character arc a pretty satisfying journey, and one that's framed by an excellent time-capsule backdrop of New York CityĬirca 1982. Nepotistic boss (Floyd Levine) - only adds to mounting stress that he's got to overcome, and fast. Outside forces - including his doomed relationship with overly sensitive fiancée Charlotte (Gina Hecht) and her uptight parents, as well as his Has the hots for Belinda, and the two even make an early connection before her refusal to leave the business drives a wedge into the relationship.īut he's too timid to step up, anyway: Chuck is one stammer away from a Woody Allen stand-in, and his total reluctance to defend himself from all Later in the film, and it could be argued that it feels kind of shoehorned in to what mostly plays out as an awkward romantic comedy. pimp" rivalry - that element of the plot isn't even introduced until Truth be told, Night Shift isn't driven by this "love broker vs. except a few rival pimps who don't competition. Chuck's good financial sense and strong moral backbone makes it a successfulĮmployee-owned business (with medical benefits, even!), so everyone's happy. Their quiet morgue the new headquarters for Belinda and her girls. Graveyard shift and works alongside obnoxious but motivated newcomer Bill "Blaze" Blazejowski (Michael Keaton, in his big-screen debut).Īfter the death of a low-level pimp, Chuck's prostitute neighbor Belinda (Shelley Long) is in need of representation, so Bill convinces him to make Stockbroker-turned nebbish morgue employee Chuck Lumley (Henry Winkler) and the new chapter in his life: he's recently been "promoted" to the It even has a 80s music montage.Reviewed by Randy Miller III, November 2, 2021ĭirector Ron Howard's early career highlight Night Shift - released five years after his first film, the forgotten 1977 road comedy Grand Theft Auto - is the scandalous but sweet story of If you get a chance to watch this movie…give it a chance. Something to watch for…Kevin Costner makes one of his first big-screen appearance in a nonspeaking role in this movie.Ĭhuck Lumley: As we sit here and idly chat, there are woman, female human beings, rolling around in strange beds with strange men, and we are making money from that.īill Blazejowski: Is this a great country, or what? This was released a few months before she starred in Cheers. Shelley Long had reservations about playing a call girl but decided to do it…Long, Winkler, and Keaton worked really well together. His timing is perfect and foreshadows some of his comedies such as Mr. Henry is very good in this movie and is perfect as the straight man for Michael Keaton. Henry Winkler plays a character far removed from his Happy Day’s character…the cool Fonz. ![]() Chuck falls for one of the prostitutes who is his neighbor named Belinda (Shelley Long). Ron Howard directed this movie about straight-laced morgue attendant Chuck Lumley (Henry Winkler) who gets a wonderfully crazy co-worker Bill Blazejowski (Michael Keaton in his breakout role) who talks Chuck into running a brothel out of the morgue…Chuck and Bill become unlikely pimps (or Love Brokers) after a group of call girl’s pimp gets killed by being dropped out of a window. This little movie from the early 80s gets forgotten but it a very good comedy. It was one of the few left on a shelf at the video store…remember those? I had never heard of it but it was a good comedy. This is one of the first movies I ever rented. ![]()
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