Overall Rating Awesome: 56.25% Worth A Look: 12.5% Average: 28.13% Pretty Bad: 3.13% Total Crap: 0% 1 review, 26 user ratings

Latest Reviews Monterey Pop by Rob Gonsalves Mutant Swinger from Mars by Jay Seaver Hellraiser by Charles Tatum Most Dangerous Man in America, The: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers by Lybarger Frozen by Jay Seaver Crazy Heart by Rob Gonsalves Quigley by Rob Gonsalves From Paris with Love by brianorndorf Secret of Kells, The by brianorndorf Dear John by brianorndorf subscribe to this feed

Latest Features 20 For 10: The Movies of 2010 (Part 2) Blu-ray Review - The House of the Devil Blu-ray Review - Amelia Blu-ray Review - Whip It A Dead Rat in a Lucite Block: "Cruising" 30 Years Later The 10th Annual eFilmCritic Oscar Pick 'Em (WIN 50 DVDS!) Victoria Film Festival Interview - "Day Before Yesterday" director Patricia Chica Victoria Film Festival Interview - "Trimpin': The Sound of Invention" director Peter Esmonde DVD Reviews For 2/5: “Go Now--And Heaven Help You!” Victoria Film Festival Interview - "(Untitled)" director Jonathan Parker subscribe to this feed

Let It Ride

List Price:		$19.99
Price:
find out more information

Buy posters from this movie

by Scott Weinberg

"Odd that we don't see more 'lovable degenerate gambler' movies..."

Only in the movies can you come across selfish bastards that you actually like. Of course it helps when your bastard is played by the likes of Richard Dreyfuss - an actor who can (and clearly does, in this case) salvage even the sloppiest material. (OK, Krippendorff’s Tribe was beyond even his capacity, but look what he did with Stakeout!)

Let It Ride is lightweight and almost instantly forgettable, but damn if Dreyfuss doesn’t make it a good time while it lasts.

Directed with a workmanlike and somewhat stylish eye by Joe Pytka (Space Jam) and showcasing nearly a dozen goofy supporting characters, Let It Ride surely isn’t a great flick, but it is pretty darn entertaining. The plot centers on one amazingly lucky day in the life of sadsack gambler/cab driver Jay Trotter. Jay has a massive weakness for the ponies, though he’s known as a lifelong loser at the betting windows. For one day, that seems to have changed.

After promising his wife that he’ll give up the racetrack, Jay plunks his last 50 bucks down on a horse. This one win leads to a dizzyingly exciting day in which Jay repeatedly takes his growing pile of cash and ‘lets it ride’ way past the point of common sense. Plotwise, that’s pretty much it.

It may not be a particularly intricate or deep tale, but Dreyfuss keeps things funny - and that’s really all that matters. As support he’s given an eclectic roster of people, some of whom hit solid doubles (Teri Garr, Robbie Coltrane) and some of whom pretty much strike out (Jennifer Tilly (juggs aside), the wholly obnoxious David Johansen).

The flick culminates into a suitably nail-biting pace, though if you can’t see where this one’s headed I worry about you. Let It Ride is a trifle, but odds are you’ve never seen it before, and it’s a funny enough trifle. Give it a shot should it pop up on cable.

Worthy of note (two, actually): Ms. Tilly and her big round breasts spend the entire film encased in a tight red dress, so consider that a little added bonus.

del.icio.us

link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=3567&reviewer=128
originally posted: 01/15/03 13:01:37

printer-friendly format

User Comments

8/20/09 blox great gambling movie 5 stars

6/11/08 Jack Sommersby Slight but fairly entertaining, with Dreyfuss aces. 3 stars

8/28/07 J. Gamalinda Inspiring! There's such thing as a lucky day! 5 stars

7/28/06 Robert great film/good acting/entertaining 4 stars

7/04/05 cissy Funny, entertaining very good actors. 5 stars

2/06/05 Greg Lyman I loved this movie, have for years, the characters are rich and the atmoshere unique 5 stars

10/10/04 lisa What are the odds....A splendid comedy where a racetrack comes alive! 5 stars

9/04/04 Ray West GREAT! But I'm a 'Dreyfuss hamming it' fan. 5 stars

8/18/04 Tom Barton An all time favorite, of mine. One of those few movies, that I NEVER tire of watching. 4 stars

7/21/04 axe silly little gut shot comedy, don't bet against Dreyfuss making you laugh 3 stars

6/24/04 Craig Wonderfully funny and stylish movie, Dreyfuss is great 5 stars

10/25/03 Al Baston Thr guy who plays the loud obnoxious Jewish guy Bernie is always good i.e.The Conversation 3 stars

7/24/03 Drix Love it. A FUN RIDE, so let it ride. A celebration of taking risks. Dreyfuss is great. 5 stars

6/11/03 JaKe A beautie. Relax and enjoy! 5 stars

4/21/03 Terry Amdur Best race track movie ever! 5 stars

1/15/03 Charles Tatum The preview was funnier than the movie 2 stars

1/14/03 cambo too funny, only an idiot would not like this movie (of course by taking it too seriously 5 stars

12/14/02 Wayne Watching "Let It Ride" gives new meaning to "Having a Good Day." Loved it. 5 stars

9/02/02 y2mckay If you like Richard Dreyfuss comedies, you'll like this. Lighthearted fun at the racetrack 4 stars

5/14/02 Jdubya Classic below the radar comedy.Great one liners. 5 stars

1/13/02 Kevin B Great movie. I've like this since I was a kid. Watch it!! 5 stars

5/03/01 Mark Very funny and charming 5 stars

5/01/01 Jake Not great, but entertaining and funny. never a dull moment. 4 stars

2/26/01 david lynn A wonderful film. Anyone who has wasted time at a track has met everyone here; Trotter 5 stars

12/29/00 Kidder Many forms of comedy -deadpan to slapstick- wrapped in a well-written underdog story 5 stars

10/14/00 The Judge Great movie...Dreyfuss is great...comical portayal of varying social strata at a race track 5 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
Note: Duplicate, 'planted,' or other obviously improper comments
will be deleted at our discretion. So don't bother posting 'em. Thanks!

Your Name:

Your Comments:

Your Location: (state/province/country)

Your Rating:

USA 02-May-1989 (PG-13) DVD: 24-Jun-2003 UK N/A Australia N/A

Directed by Joe Pytka Written by Nancy Dowd Cast Richard Dreyfuss David Johansen Teri Garr Jennifer Tilly Allen Garfield Ed Walsh

Advertisement

Overall Rating

Latest Reviews

Latest Features

User Comments