Ruthless People
A greedy businessman’s murder plot collapses into a kidnapping farce when every criminal scheme is derailed by even worse misunderstandings.
Overview
A darkly comedic tale of greed and chaos unfolds when a businessman’s plan to eliminate his wealthy wife backfires spectacularly.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- sardonic
- irreverent
- chaotic
- comedy night
- retro movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a cleverly constructed, acid-soaked farce powered by bright performances, while noting its crude humor and unpleasant characters.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sam, Barbara, the kidnappers, Carol, Earl, and the police chief all pursue self-serving schemes that collide into escalating comic chaos.
Sam misreads the videotape, Carol misreads Sam’s response, Earl misidentifies the man on the tape, and the chief acts on false assumptions.
Ken and Sandy abduct Barbara for ransom but are unprepared for her forceful personality and unexpected bond with Sandy.
Sam married Barbara for her inheritance and later plots against her because his financial expectations were delayed.
Films like Ruthless People, and why
The Big Lebowski
shared black comedy, kidnapping farce, criminal misunderstandings, and gleefully unpleasant characters
Fargo
shared darkly comic criminal plotting, escalating misunderstandings, and morally dubious protagonists
A Fish Called Wanda
shared screwball energy, ransom mechanics, and comic collisions among self-serving characters
Raising Arizona
shared cynical humor, elaborate schemes, and crime-driven farce
Movie Details
- Directors
- Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
- Release Date
- 1986-06-26
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (467)
Cast
- Danny DeVito
- Bette Midler
- Judge Reinhold
- Helen Slater
- Anita Morris
- Bill Pullman
- William G. Schilling
- Art Evans
- Clarence Felder
- J.E. Freeman
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- 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 Ruthless People about?
- A greedy businessman’s murder plot collapses into a kidnapping farce when every criminal scheme is derailed by even worse misunderstandings.
- What is Ruthless People like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ruthless People as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ruthless People violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ruthless People as mild.
- What did critics think of Ruthless People?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a cleverly constructed, acid-soaked farce powered by bright performances, while noting its crude humor and unpleasant characters.
- Which films are like Ruthless People?
- Films with a similar feel include The Big Lebowski, Fargo, A Fish Called Wanda, and Raising Arizona.
- How long is Ruthless People?
- Ruthless People runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ruthless People?
- In United States, Ruthless People streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
