Trading Places - Review

Trading Places, released in 1983 and directed by John Landis, is a classic comedy which follows a rich broker and a street hustler whose lives are swapped as part of a bet between two billionaire brothers. The cruel Duke brothers, Mortimer and Randolph, run a highly successful business in Philadelphia, but argue over the question of nature Vs nurture, whether a person is shaped by their upbringing or their environment. To settle their dispute, they use Louis Winthorpe III, a Harvard educated, upper class managing director and Billy Ray Valentine, a clever street hustler, as guinea pigs and swap their lives. However, the two discover the scheme and team up to bankrupt the billionaires and get their revenge.

"Always go for the throat. Buy low, sell high. Fear? That's the other guy's problem" – A review of Trading Places.

I am a big fan of comedy, and I often enjoy older comedic films. A good body swap film can be absolutely hilarious, but when the comedy is of its time, does it still resonate?

Eddie Murphy plays Billy Ray Valentine, fast talking and street smart, who is unexpectedly pulled into the scheme alongside Louise Winthorpe III, played by Dan Aykroyd, who comes across as arrogant, but whose life falls apart when he loses everything. The pair put on strong performances, including after the swap, which is truly impressive. The billionaire brothers are played by Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy, and they come across as cruel and calculated, making them brilliant villains.

There are plenty of genuinely funny moments in this film, but there's plenty that made me cringe too. Language which just isn't acceptable today, including homophobic language, is used throughout, and there are plenty of dated stereotypes as the film leans into the tropes of the 80s, including class, race and gender.

What I found really shocking, though, was the use of blackface; whilst this was common at the time, watching a character wear blackface and speaking in an offensive, stereotypical Jamaican accent is just uncomfortable viewing. Thankfully, this scene is often edited out in broadcasts today, but it's still in the film and it wouldn't be right to not acknowledge it.

Overall, whilst there's definitely funny moments and plenty of strong performances, I didn't overly enjoy this film. The use of outdated language, slurs and blackface was too much for me to look past – and a lot of the plot I just found to be vulgar and coarse. Whilst I accept that the performances are pretty good, and I understand why it was popular at the time, it certainly wasn't for me.

Written by Tam Page