Quick Change (1990) User Reviews

Good Mix Of Clever and Silly Comedy

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 29 May 2006]

This is a clever and entertaining comedy that has some dramatic and romantic touches as well. It's almost two movies-in-one: a dramatic holdup and a comic getaway. The holdup scene does has comedy but is more dramatic. It reminded me of the '70s classic "Dog Day Afternoon" in which the hostages are kept by a couple of robbers and the crooks demand the normal assortment of getaway vehicles. Except in here, ringleader Bill Murray wants a "monster truck" along with everything else. You know with Murray you are going to get outrageous humor and satire.

Anyway, the bulk of the film concerns what happens after the trio - Murray, Randy Quaid and Geena Davis - after they successfully escape the holdup. The bottom line is that they just can't get out of New York City. One disaster after another keeps happening, and it's all kind funny (and frustrating!). The ending I won't spoil.

Murray plays his normal wise-guy role and Quaid is good as the emotional slapstick-type buffoon. For some reason, the scene in which Quaid runs full-tilt into a newspaper stand and knocks himself out almost had me in tears laughing. Davis complements the two with her coolness and eye candy for the male audience. Veteran Jason Robards plays the chief detective on the case, and shows comedic touches of his own.

What also is fun to watch nowadays is Tony Shalhoub. When this film came out, hardly anyone knew him. Now he's famous as "Monk" on the television series of the same name. In this film, he plays an Arabic cab driver and you have to see this performance to believe it! A couple of other familiar faces also show up in here, including Bob Elliot from the old radio duo of "Bob and Ray."

There is no sex, no bloodshed, just a lot of jokes but the "R" rating ought to tell you something about the language in here. The jokes and story were good enough on their own and didn't need all the profanity.

Smart, witty comedy

[mattymatt4ever · 7/10 · 17 September 2002]

I've seen this movie a few times, and I always get some good laughs out of it. It's not a genuinely hilarious comedy, yet it earns its laughs honestly, unlike most of the silly fluff that comes out recently. Bill Murray is in top form. Randy Quaid steals some scenes, and Geena Davis and Jason Robards top off a fine supporting cast. I liked the way the movie poked fun at New York City, being that 90 percent of the bystanders in each scene are complete wackos. Don't get me wrong, New York is a great city, but anyone who has lived in or spent a lot of time in NYC should have a good time with the little inside gags. I loved the theme song, and the little surprise at the end was pretty nifty. If you want good, solid comedy that you can laugh with, rather than at, "Quick Change" is the film for you.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Consistently funny for the most part, although the end sort of drags along...

[MovieAddict2016 · 8/10 · 26 February 2004]

Funny remake starring Bill Murray, Geena Davis and Randy Quaid as down-on-their-luck thieves who rob a bank and then have a hard time getting out of NYC. Funny from beginning to end. Well, almost. The last twenty minutes or so seem to drag a bit. But I loved the first 3/4, and the opening sequence is tremendous!

Bill Murray is very funny and Randy Quaid is a likable goofball. Geena Davis manages to impress but the real star is Murray, as always. All in all a pleasant way to spend an evening and certainly a memorable comedy--if a slightly uneven one.

4/5 stars.

• John Ulmer

Unappreciated Gem of a Comedy

[jclinard · 22 May 2002]

Bill Murray stars as a bank robber with a unique plan - he'll rob the bank dressed as a clown, but carry out the money taped to his body - and those of his two accomplices - "hostages" who have been released as a sign of good faith as certain potential getaway vehicles (2 helicopters, a motorcycle, a city bus, and a monster truck) are provided. The plan works perfectly as the gang makes their escape from the bank in plain sight.

Then things go wrong.

The movie contrasts the perfect execution of a difficult task - robbing a bank, and then getting out and past the police, with the terrible execution of a simple task - getting to the airport in time to catch a flight. In both stages, Murray provides the kind of humor associated with him, taking nothing seriously even in the tightest of situations.

Jason Robbards provides an excellent contrast, as a chief of police who refuses to be outwitted by a smart-mouthed bank robber in a clown suit, who escaped from right under his nose.

Nice for TV

[Dries Gevaert · 6/10 · 5 June 2000]

This movie is, combined with some popcorn and a coke, perfect for an enjoyable TV evening. But I wouldn't recommend watching this movie on the big screen, because the irritating character Loomis, played by Randy Quaid, will attract too much attention. I noticed how everytime Quaid said something (mostly while nodding his head hysterically or while jumping around) my eyes focused on something else than the TV, and it's hard to focus on something else when all you can see is the big screen in front of you. I know the character needs to be like that but it still irritates me.

Bill Murray however acts almost perfect. He has to play, as usual, the guy who makes sarcastic remarks or who acts like nothing has happened when everything goes wrong, and he's so damn good at it. Geena Davis has a crappy part, with a character that almost constantly changes her opinion, but she still manages to make something out of it.

There's nothing specific to say about directing or music or whatever, those are the quite-good-but-nothing-special-type of things that make this movie perfect for TV.

7/10

perfect for Bill Murray

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 26 November 2015]

Grimm (Bill Murray) is dressed as a clown and robs a Manhattan bank. His girlfriend Phyllis Potter (Geena Davis) and best friend Loomis (Randy Quaid) are hidden among the customers. The trio manages to escape with the money but the getaway goes wrong. Police Chief Walt Rotzinger (Jason Robards) is world-weary but relentless in his pursuit of the three bank robbers.

Bill Murray is perfectly sarcastic in all his glory. Geena Davis is great standing up to him. The trio is hilarious together and have some wacky fun. The setup is great. The journey is a little rocky. The comedy is outrageous hilarity but also inconsistent. Tony Shalhoub is a memorable foreign cabbie and Philip Bosco is a great strict bus driver.

Can they EVER manage to escape New York City?!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 October 2021]

The story is set in New York City and it begins with a clown (Bill Murray) walking into a bank and announcing that it's a robbery. To show everyone he's serious, he has a gun and a bomb. Soon he ushers everyone into the bank vault as he talks with the police negotiator. Eventually, he lets three hostages go and the police don't realize they are the clown without makeup and his two confederates (Geena Davis and Randy Quaid). As a result, the cop in charge doesn't realize they've left and he thinks the clown is still inside....giving the crooks ample time to escape and make their way to the airport.

What follows is a ridiculous comedy of errors where, try as they might, the trio can't manage to get out of the city. All sorts of crazy and seemingly impossible things happen to thwart them.

The film has many funny moments. But it also, at times, becomes a tad tedious....as you want them to just get out of the city already! It does make for a rather thin plot...and it reminds me a bit of Neil Simon's "The Out of Towners". But overall the good easily outweighs the bad and the film is worth your time.

Underrated Comedy Classic

[pmdawn · 9/10 · 26 June 2008]

This is one of the best comedies I've seen. Bill Murray not only stars but directs this one, and he should be damn proud of his accomplishment. This movie is a laugh-fest.

You won't regret watching this one. The three main players are all in their apex. Murray is fantastic as usual and Randy Quaid is hysterical. Tony Shalhoub has a small but VERY memorable part.

This is one of those rare, great, infinitely "quotable" movies. There's irony, sarcasm, slapstick, you can find all kinds of humor here, and even some suspense to keep things interesting. This is great to watch with friends, there are a couple of scenes that will almost certainly make you spit your soda.

You want to laugh, watch this. Definitely an underrated comedy classic.

9/10

A brilliant comedy in 80s style

[hackett-3 · 6/10 · 12 December 2002]

Bill Murray is a great actor, his interpretations in movies which "Ghostbuster" or "Scrooges" are memorable. Quick Change represents his first and unique directional proof with the coo-direction of Howard Franklyn. The movie remembers the demential comedy of late 70s and middle 80s and even the picaresque genre consacrated by Martin Scorsese in "After hours" or John Landis in "Into the night". The special confluence of this two genres creates comic effects in chain reaction. The scenes with the taxi driver and the mobster are very hilarious and Geena Davis confirmed her special comic talent, while Randy Quaid is very funny in the role of the good-dumb. But the very director of the scene is Bill Murray, the movie is constructed for his particular way of acting. He is one of the American actors who knows very well Buster's Keaton lesson: make laugh without laughing. His comic style is a little bit more surrealistic and absurd of the one of the master, but Bill Murray his an actor of our times and the comparisons are always not possible. The only defect of this movie, and it's not a little thing, is to resemble to the story of many other movie. It's all so predictable that the only stuff we see is the speeches: it could be a programmed decision but in the long run it can also bore.

A movie with Bill Murray doing what comes naturally, "being funny".

[ToldYaSo · 9/10 · 2 May 1999]

Not many people I've talked to have seen "Quick Change". It wasn't really a hit, which is what makes it such a nice surprise when you see a film like this which is very funny. Maybe that's partially why I enjoyed the film so much, as it makes me feel a little bit like a pirate who's discovered lost treasure, or like an explorer who's conquered uncharted territory.

It may not be Bill Murray's best, but it's pretty good. But make no mistake, this is a Bill Murray movie, he even co-directed it, and if you don't like him in general, then this film isn't likely to make a convert out of you. I've always been a fan, and try to forgive certain transgressions like "Larger Than Life" or "The Man Who Knew Too Little" which are the kinds of films I avoid completely for fear that it will taint my high regard for Mr. Murray. They might be good, but I'm not taking any chances without some seriously reliable source that assures me they aren't merely "paycheques" for those involved. But in case some of you think the man has lost it, never to recapture any of his past glory, probably you should check out "Rushmore," and see a true master at work.

"Quick Change" has a story that is fun and the lines are executed with razor sharp comic timing. So what if some of the characters are one-dimensional? It gets the job done and sets up the bits and not in a low-brow kind of way.

I'd be interested to hear what New York residents think of this film, as its story revolves around three people who just want to escape New York forever and find that robbing a bank is easier than making it to the airport.

So if you consider yourself a member of the Bill Murray fan club, check this one out and you'll probably enjoy it. He's got plenty of support from some talented comedic actors including Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Phil Hartman, Jason Robards and of course Randy Quaid and Geena Davis.

Funny unheard of gem

[welhof1 · 7/10 · 12 March 2021]

The highlight of the movie was the bank robbery scene at the beginning. After that it dragged on a bit but still had some pretty funny moments! It was pretty short too thankfully. They could've added another 20 minutes but they didn't. Overall a very quick easy comedy.

Don't miss out on this hilarious movie!

[ColdZro · 9/10 · 14 May 2001]

This movie is really great. It's got a great cast, a very funny story, and some clever writing. But it's been so ignored; and I can't understand why! I never see it on TV, and it's not available on DVD; it's hardly ever mentioned anywhere! Every time I go buy DVDs, I look for this one, hoping that maybe this time it'll be there. It hasn't been so far, and it's always a let-down. It's a tremendously funny movie, which I'd love to have in my collection! And if you like to laugh, then you'd be doing yourself a favor to pick this one up! Especially if you're a fan of Murray or Quaid. But even if you're not, you couldn't watch this one and not laugh. As someone else commented, this is a shamefully "underrated gem."

So here's my plea to the people who decide such things: PUT QUICK CHANGE ON DVD!!! PLEASE! I WANT IT!

"The Getaway" meets "After Hours"...

[ElMaruecan82 · 7/10 · 22 November 2020]

There's something quite unusual about "Quick Change" that I can't put my finger on. On the surface it's your typical heist movie with the getaway featuring so many twist and obstacles that by the time it comes to an end, the protagonist went through the whole alphabet of plans, Plan B starting when the goofiest one accidentally honked, tipping the Police that the three robbers already escaped and couldn't be any other than the first three released hostages. But there's something that transcends the whole cat-and-mouse chase between the Law and three small-time criminals, something incarnated by Bill Murray's deadpan look.

It's all fitting that his entrance in the film is with a clown disguise, that nobody pays true attention to him in his way (except a few extras who couldn't keep a straight face) says something about the individual alienation that struck New York. Even a clown can go unnoticed and it's only when he fires a gun that the bank customers understand he means business. When the security guard (as usual an old frail man) asks him what kind of clown he is, he came up with the right answer 'the crying inside one'. It could be a cute punchline but over the crazy journey in New York City, it becomes a character-establishing line. Grimm (a fitting name) is a man who doesn't rob bank to get money but to escape from a city, from a condition, from an urban phenomenon denounced in more serious movies: gentrification.

The film is a comedy, no doubt about it, Grimm is the mastermind, the straight man to the goofier Loomis (Randy Quaid) and Geena Davis is the beauty who fell in love with the intellect. I suspect there's more than that, she admires Grimm's bravura and the way he never surrenders to adversity and keeps consistent with his dream to leave the city. Loomis has the desperation of a man who has nowhere to go and sticks to the only persons who accept him despite his obvious flaws and the way he is responsible to all the ordeals that take the Police back to their track. Davis is a follower but I admired her persistence too as I admired Grimm's capability to maintain his cool and identify the people that could help him and those he could help.

When a hostage bribes him with an expensive watch or when workers can't give him the proper way to go to the airport, his reactions always suggest that he's not the least surprised by these people and it doesn't discourage him as much as it reinforces his conviction. And even in emergency, he's forgiving toward a poor cab driver who can't understand a word they say and finds a way to extort some money from the mob in an exquisite bluffing act (where a young Stanley Tucci is responsible for a good portion of laughs). And yet later, when a nit-picky bus driver (Philip Bosco) asks for the exact change, he knows it's a hopeless situation and would rather endure the queue in the grocery shop than resorting to threats. It says a a lot when you can handle mob bosses more easily than bureaucratic freaks.

So "Quick Change" is about three people in need for a quick change in their lives and whose last night in New York is the opportunity to witness the most surrealistic part of the urban weirdness, like a crazy joust between two Mexican bikers or a lonely lady shouting "Flores por la muertes". So many random stuff happens that I don't think it was meant to generate laughs but to take us in a world where the escape can appear as a sort of salvation something like Martin Scorsese's "After Hours". Bill Murray gives an existential aura to his persona, and it's interesting that his nemesis, played by Jason Robards, is as disappointed and disillusioned by the way things go. Both sigh about new constructions and both are eager to help the helpless cab driver, these similarities are subtle but they put the whole heist into a whole new perspective.

Now, the film was based on Jay Cronley's novel of the same name that inspired a remake starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. I didn't read the book but the 1985 film was set at broad daylight and Belmondo played it with the flamboyance he's used to. I like how this one takes a radical, more cynical tone. The getaway in the former was full of car chases and stunts, in that one, the plot is filled with funny and crazy little escalations. It's not a laugh riot, let's make that clear, but with Bill Murray, anyone can be indulgent and accept what the film tries to say from his disillusioned eyes that make a great a combo with his punchy and sharp one-liners.

Bang Fizzle

[view_and_review · 5/10 · 22 February 2020]

"Quick Change" was a quick start then it waned. I think they served the main course at the beginning and ended with their appetizers.

"Quick Change" started with a brilliant bank robbery pulled off by Grimm (Bill Murray), Phyllis (Geena Davis), and Loomis (Randy Quaid). From that point on it was all downhill. It devolved into this comedy of errors involving missed freeway signs, their car being wrecked, a bad cab ride, and more. Very little of it was funny and they painfully dragged on the "I-need-to-tell-you-something" bit when it was obvious to everyone with an IQ above 50 that Phyllis had to tell Grimm she was pregnant. It was like, "Spit it out already!"

The movie is based upon the book titled "Hold-Up" by Jay Cronley. The story itself is good and I can imagine it working better on paper than it did on film. Maybe it was the three main characters and a lack of chemistry between them or maybe it was the screenplay, but I found the movie tedious after the first twenty minutes.

A comedy gem that should have been much more widely seen

[SamHardy · 14 June 2013]

This one is absolutely chocked full of accomplished writing, unforgettably comic performances, unexpectedly clever situations, and hilarious slapstick comedy.

It only slows when the script turns to unnecessary melodrama. Otherwise it's combination of witty dialog, drool understated delivery by Murray and fast pacing keep this a fascinating wild farce that surprises in almost every scene. Check out Philip Bosco as the anal retentive bus driver, Tony Shalhoub as the whacked out cab driver who because he cant speak a word of English must communicate in wild pantomime. There are so many fine comic performances that I tend to lose track of them.

Too bad it did not do better at the box office. Maybe it was ahead of it's time. Were it released today it might have had a better chance..

Don't debate, rent it on DVD and watch it over and over!

FUNNY !

[imseeg · 7/10 · 14 July 2019]

Really funny and lovely movie, with a great performance by Bill Murray, who robs a bank, but then has extreme difficulties getting out of town, because all sorts of disasters keep raining down on him, while he is attempting to flee.

Geena Rowlands plays the love interest of Bill Murray and she adds to the lovely nature of this story, in which there is a budding romance blossoming, while they are on the run from the police.

What can I say, what I havent already said? It's darn funny and that is all it needs to be. For all ages. Young and old could really love this feel good funny heist movie.

Surprisingly off-key.

[Bing-18 · 6/10 · 22 February 2000]

Bill Murray's directorial debut is, surprisingly, one of his poorer outings, as a world-class bank robber trying to get out of New York City.

In the opening sequences during the bank robbery, Murray is at his dead-pan best, and is genuinely hilarious as he orders everything from a motor-cycle, to a helicopter and monster truck as part of his hostage ransom and diversion.

However, once Murray leaves the bank, the film appears to lose direction, and at times slows down to a crawl, and causes Murray's character to come across as merely arrogant and selfish, and nowhere near the hero, rebelling against the monotony of everday life, that the script wants to portray him as.

This part of the movie is only ocassionally enlightened by a good performance as ever from Randy Quaid, and a very funny cameo from Phillip Bosco as a time obsessed bus driver. Of the other main characters, Geena Davis' talents are completely wasted, and Jason Robards is rarely allowed to show his true ability.

Generally I am a big Bill Murray fan, but he has certainly made better movies than this, which just suggest that his true talent is shown on screen, and not behind the camera.

clowning around to the fullest potential

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 3 July 2006]

Bill Murray made his film debut with this silly but lovable flick about a bank heist gone awry. I like how early on, Murray kindly points the gun at the cop and smoothly says "I wouldn't...and that's Mr. Bozo," and later has to prove that he's robbing the bank. His demands during the holdup are also quite a hoot. But once he and accomplices Geena Davis and Randy Quaid leave the bank, leaving New York proves to be a challenge.

OK, so maybe "Quick Change" looks lame - perhaps even idiotic - now that Murray has starred in movies like "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Lost in Translation". But you can't treat it like that, people! The point is to laugh. And you certainly will. It just goes to show that Murray does best when he's himself (but don't get me wrong; his serious roles have also been good). A really cool movie. Also starring Jason Robards, Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci and Kurtwood Smith (Red Foreman on "That '70s Show").

Watch this movie.

[blaisepascal · 8/10 · 28 May 2002]

Many of the comments here are too enthusiastic, and some are far too critical. But a small group hit the nail on the head: this a very good film that is definitely worth watching. The highlight of the movie is the beginning, there is no doubt about that, but the rest is still good. While the relationships between the characters may seem "awkward" to some, they come off as very human, and not contrived. Human beings are awkward. The ending on the other hand, is a little contrived, and goes a little far in terms of just how much the viewer will believe. But it's not a bad ending and as another comment said, it is very exciting.

Very good script and very good acting. Funny, clever, exciting. I gave Quick Change an 8 out of 10, and I was even tempted to boost it to a 9.

Very Funny

[jjjjjjjames · 7/10 · 14 November 2005]

The first 20 minutes (the bank scene) is outrageously funny. It gets a little slow after that, but all-in-all a very good movie. Bill Murray as the quick-witted leader of the gang; Randy Quaid plays an excellent goof-ball and Jason Robards as the police chief all deliver an above average performance. The quotes are great. "Hey lady, up your but with a coconut. Except, I saw no coconuts; he had no coconuts to my knowledge." After the bank, though, it got a little slow. The whole idea of them trying to get out of NY was a bit overdone for my liking. The car getting stolen and the apartment scene were a little too much for me. I guess they had to fill in some movie time. But still one of my top 10 favorite Bill Murray movies.

BOZO THE CLOWN WITH A TWIST

[brianlion · 8/10 · 14 November 2002]

I'm surprised "Quick Change" is not rated higher by the voters of IMDB because I found Bill Murray at his best. Some of his quips and retorts are great. My movie group found this a very funny movie. And what a great idea for robbing a bank.

Good histrionics from the characters, slight pedestrian urban appearance, some good laughs though

[Apollo15AnnoPianoCatDogSnailAnt · 6/10 · 22 July 2020]

The histrionics are dope from Murray and co, just the urban pedestrian looks grayish, otherwise actual laughs from here.

"Jesus we gotta get this guy"

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 6 February 2022]

I absolutely love the dialogue this movie is absolutely wonderful I'm surprised more don't appreciate it! I'm glad I own it fills my alphabet not many movies start with Q at least that are enjoyable as this. A wonderful adventure of bank robbers that just can't out of town, Bill Murray makes everything better I'm blown away some don't like him in Quick Change. It's brilliant, very goofy, entertaining throughout, and has perfect dialogue I love it all!

I prefer the original version

[yvanoff-252-149617 · 7/10 · 26 March 2021]

The original version, with Jean-Paul Belmondo and Kim Cattrall, was much funnier.

Not even close to the original!

[Robert_and_Lea · 3/10 · 29 December 2002]

If you have the chance to watch the original movie 'Hold-Up' with Jean Paul Belmondo, try it. This american version is just a cheap and badly played version. Totally over-acted and unrealistic. Nothing more to say.