Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
A snobbish investor and a wily street con-artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Trading Places is elevated primarily by its cast — Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd have tremendous chemistry, and the supporting work from Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy as the scheming Duke brothers is wickedly funny. The class-swap satire is sharp and the film moves with real energy. The plot is clever in concept but leans on a fairly conventional screwball structure, and the resolution — while satisfying — relies on a somewhat convoluted commodity market scheme that strains credibility. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable, typical of early-80s comedies. Novelty is moderate: the premise blends Twain-esque social satire with fish-out-of-water comedy in a way that felt fresh at the time but isn't wholly singular. Still one of the best comedies of its era, carried almost entirely by performance and wit.