Life Stinks
A wealthy developer wagers away his privilege and enters Los Angeles homelessness, discovering that a comic stunt can expose serious class divisions.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- heartwarming
- lazy sunday
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film warmhearted and occasionally poignant, but considered its social satire uneven and its message implausible.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Goddard Bolt wagers that he can survive thirty days as a homeless person in the Los Angeles neighborhood he wants to redevelop.
The bet, slum redevelopment scheme, and encounters with class prejudice frame the film's comic critique of wealth differences.
Bolt must endure thirty days without his wallet or belongings to win control of the contested property.
The story contrasts Bolt's wealthy business world with a distressed Los Angeles neighborhood targeted for development.
Films like Life Stinks, and why
Trading Places
social satire, class conflict, and a privileged protagonist forced into an unfamiliar life
The Hudsucker Proxy
warmhearted comedy examining wealth, status, and moral transformation
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
comedic treatment of homelessness, compassion, and economic inequality
Movie Details
- Director
- Mel Brooks
- Release Date
- 1991-06-05
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (231)
Cast
- Mel Brooks
- Lesley Ann Warren
- Jeffrey Tambor
- Stuart Pankin
- Michael Ensign
- Howard Morris
- Matthew Faison
- Rudy De Luca
- Teddy Wilson
- Stanley Brock
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Life Stinks about?
- A wealthy developer wagers away his privilege and enters Los Angeles homelessness, discovering that a comic stunt can expose serious class divisions.
- What is Life Stinks like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Life Stinks as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Life Stinks violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Life Stinks.
- What did critics think of Life Stinks?
- Critics generally found the film warmhearted and occasionally poignant, but considered its social satire uneven and its message implausible.
- Which films are like Life Stinks?
- Films with a similar feel include Trading Places, The Hudsucker Proxy, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
- How long is Life Stinks?
- Life Stinks runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Life Stinks?
- In United States, Life Stinks streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
