The Blues Brothers
National Film Registry
Rent/Purchase
Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.
What critics thought
The Blues Brothers landed mostly positive reviews on release, with critics broadly celebrating its musical performances and spectacular car chases while splitting hard over whether Landis's maximalist approach served or smothered the comedy — the same excess that thrilled some left others cold. Audience enthusiasm has held steadier than critical opinion over the decades, and a retrospective Empire review confirmed the film's reputation has aged well.
“There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic.”
Richard Corliss·Time
“an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues”
Kim Newman·Empire
Genres
Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Cast & Crew
DirectorJohn Landis
StarringJohn Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles
ComposerElmer Bernstein
The Blues Brothers
National Film Registry
Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.
What critics thought
The Blues Brothers landed mostly positive reviews on release, with critics broadly celebrating its musical performances and spectacular car chases while splitting hard over whether Landis's maximalist approach served or smothered the comedy — the same excess that thrilled some left others cold. Audience enthusiasm has held steadier than critical opinion over the decades, and a retrospective Empire review confirmed the film's reputation has aged well.
“There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic.”
Richard Corliss·Time
“an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues”
Kim Newman·Empire
Genres
Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Cast & Crew
DirectorJohn Landis
StarringJohn Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles
ComposerElmer Bernstein
Rent/Purchase