Brewster's Millions

This is a story about a minor league baseball player, Richard Pryor, who is well liked and comes into money! He has to spend $30m in 30 days in order to inherit #300m; however he's not allowed to tell anyone about the $300m deal. Pryor is very funny with all the excitement of spending a lot of money recklessly and trying not to receive any back, but he has to have receipts for all spent. The casting of some great comedians like John Candy, Jerry Orbach, and Hume Cronyn are a great asset to this film. There is a lot of excitement and the baseball game between Hackensack Bulls and the New York Yankees is especially fun! The last scene straightens out the big complication of 'no receipts', just in time to win the big money. So who said money buys everything!? Well recommended!

In one of his all time best film performances, Richard Pryor portrays Montgomery Brewster, the pitcher for a minor league baseball team in New Jersey. His wealthy uncle dies and leaves him a $300 million inheritance....but there's a catch. In order to get it, he must spend $30 million in 30 days. It might sound simple enough but a position in the New York stock market as well as a phony election campaign for mayor sometimes keep bringing spent money back to him. Hilarious complications ensue as Pryor attempts to spend all of the money and keep it spent without getting any of it back. Pryor shines in a fine character role that's away from his usual con man typecasting.

My second favorite adaptation of this story behind the 1945 version starring Dennis O'Keefe. That being said, it's not big on laughs. It's more pleasant to watch than funny. Pryor and Candy are likable stars. The rest of the cast is good, too. It's just that for a comedy it doesn't try very hard to make you laugh. Also I kept getting distracted trying to see if all the ways Brewster spends the money are within the rules defined early in the film. I know I know I'm a nerd. Anyway gripes aside I do like this movie. I can put it on and watch it any time. Just go into it knowing what to expect.

The film is a comedy of how Brewster finds creative ways of spending the 30 million dollars and not always getting it right. He is unable to tell anyone of his real intentions of inheriting 300 million by successfully blowing 30 million dollars in 30 days. As soon as he receives news he goes on a wild spending spree and recruits lawyers, security guards, decorators etc. all at very inflated salaries. Eventually the word goes around and soon everyone is jostling to benefit from his generosity. Some of the people close to him are unnerved by his spending prowess and tries to help him acquire more money through investments which is exactly the opposite of what he wants. This all adds up to a series of very comical events which is most enjoyable to watch. Look out for the upcoming remake of this movie.