0
0
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Oh damn! I didn’t think I would get to this point, but I think I am having a mid-life crisis. As I get older and sit at a job that is meh to me, I ponder all the things I want to do. I have been doing more adventures and doing many things out of my comfort zone. Recently, I was sitting around and decided to watch City Slickers. I remember it long ago when I was a kid. Back then, all I remember was that it starred Billy Crystal, one of the dudes from Home Alone, and a baby cow. City Slickers is one of those slapstick comedies that has aged pretty well and that you might enjoy. It has a nice blend of comedy, emotional situations, and heartwarming scenes.
City Slickers begins in the grand city of Pamplona, Spain, where middle-aged friends Mitch Robbins (Crystal), Ed Furrilo (Kirby), and Phil Berquist (Stern) participate in the running of the bulls. Everything goes well until Mitch is gored in the butt. That bull messed up his cheeks. Back home in NYC, Mitch realizes that he is miserable as an executive and struggles to find any happiness even though he has a beautiful wife and children. Mitch’s friends are equally miserable and decide to escape the lonely life of a midlife crisis with a trip. What trip, may you ask? A real-life, two-week cattle drive from New Mexico to Colorado led by the gruff cattle head Curly Washburn (Palance). The three friends soon learn what it means to be a real cowboy and also find what they have been missing in their lives.
The plot is pretty predictable but also really fun and entertaining to watch. We see that Mitch, Ed, and Phil do things together because they are best friends. The film starts with them doing the Running of the Bulls in Spain. How awesome is that? Yet, the story shows how they have something about their lives they don’t like. Mitch is miserable at the age of 40 and doesn’t know what he wants to do. Ed seems to date around and always has a younger woman on his arm. Finally, Phil is in an extremely loveless marriage and is having an affair with one of his clerks.
The story revolves mainly around Mitch as he complains to his wife about his life. She suggests he needs to get away and clear his mind. His friends recommend a trip for all three to go on a two-week cattle drive from New Mexico to Colorado. I love this film because we see the difference between city life and farm life. The film does it in a comedic and fun way. First, when the group arrives, the head person states that they will come out here a city slicker and go home a cowboy. The transformation of the three main characters is hilarious. Seeing the group trying on hats is funny because they seem to not be able to find the right one until Mitch decides to use his iconic Mets hat. Also, seeing them trying to do lasso training is awful because Mitch just doesn’t seem to be able to do it, and several other men are harassing Bonnie. This is where the great Curly rolls up in more cowboy swagger than you have ever seen. Mitch and his friends are about to scrap with the men when one of them gets roped up by Curly, who tells the men to apologize. Curly gives a crazy look and then throws a knife at the man’s balls. Mitch’s group is terrified and says that he is the toughest man he has ever seen.
During the cattle drive, the men grow with some unfortunate situations. Mitch accidentally uses a coffee grinder that makes the cows think they are going to the meat grinder. This sets off a major stampede and has almost everything destroyed. While looking for some stray cows, this is where Mitch and Curly bond and show Curly softer side. Curly encourages Mitch to discover the “one thing” in his life that is most important to him during the bonding moment. A powerful moment during the film, and the film follows up this moment with Mitch helping deliver a calf from a dying cow. Mitch names the calf Norman. Norman, for all sakes.
During the drive, Mitch accidentally causes a stampede which destroys the camp. While searching for stray cows, Mitch discovers Curly has a kind nature beneath his gruff exterior. Curly encourages Mitch to find the “one thing” in his life that is most important to him. Along the way, Mitch helps deliver a calf from a dying cow. Mitch names the calf Norman. Yet, the saddest part happens the following day.
I think the climax of this film is the best. Ed and Phil decided to lead the cattle drive when the group saw no hope. Mitch wants to go home, but then he changes his mind. It is a true transformation to see Mitch, Phil, and Ed lead the cattle drive, along with Mitch finally having a cowboy hat on. Norman almost drowns when they have to cross a rushing river, but Mitch and the group save the little guy. Here this is when Mitch tells his friends that he has found his one thing and that it is different from everyone else. It was a great but predictable way to show the friends completing their job and discovering what they really want in life.
The cast of this film was actually really good, and I enjoyed each one of them. Billy Crystal as Mitch Robbins was entertaining and funny. Crystal has a fantastic way of delivering comedic punchline that seems serious in tone but hilarious to listen to. His character had the most growth as he finally found that one thing where he goes from complaining to someone who comes back happy. Daniel Stern as Phil Berquist was actually okay in this film. He wasn’t as funny as he was in Home Alone. Yet his character finds happiness. Homeboy was banging a store clerk because his wife was a bitch. Dude hated his life with a passion. Bruno Kirby as Ed Furillo was somewhat the serious one. He always seemed to be in a younger relationship with women. He always had some type of issue with the woman he was dating.
Jack Palance as Curly Washburn was one of the highlights. He was in the movie for like a total of 15 minutes and made an impact. Palance played Curly as a hard-ass but also has a soft side. The best part between Curly and Mitch was when they were riding, and Mitch says to Curly, “Hi, Curly, kill anyone today?” and Curly responded with, “Day ain’t over yet.” A truly iconic response. YO! This film also has a young Jake Gyllenhaal in his first role. Gotta see the beginning of this dude’s career.
I want to say that City Slickers is a fun movie to watch. Anyone who watches this film will have a good time watching it. The story is quite predictable, but it will give you growth moments that you can appreciate. Crystal does a wonderful job as the lead, with his supporting cast adding outstanding comedic elements. Palance as Curly was also a highlight of the film as he brought that gruff to the film. Give this film a chance and find the one thing that means most to you.
