Quick Change

Bill Murray, who co-directed this adaptation of Jay Cronley's comic novel, stars as Grimm, whom we first meet as a very somber-looking clown, who holds up a bank. Ticking off his demands one by one over the phone to the police chief (Jason Robards), Grimm manages to pull a quick change escape as one of the released hostages (leaving his costume inside the bank). Along with girlfriend Phyllis (Geena Davis) and cohort Loomis (Randy Quaid), the bungling trio must make it to JFK airport in order to escape. In an attempt at New York City satire, the robbers must deal with non-English speaking cabdrivers, the mob, a by-the-rules bus driver, and other city stereotypes on the way. Rife with comic potential, Quick Change is nevertheless embarrassingly lame, with Murray, Davis, and Quaid overplaying every scene. Murray, especially, who's a tremendously gifted comic talent, appears to have ad-libbed a number of one-liners which are not only flat but remove the slightest shred of realism from the proceedings. Under better control, Quick Change might have been a decent comedy--as it is the laughs are scarcer than an empty taxi on Fifth Avenue at high noon. Not recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD Review—Feb. 21, 2006—Warner, 88 min., R, $14.98—Making its first appearance on DVD, 1990's Quick Change sports a great transfer with Dolby Digital surround sound, but no DVD extras. Bottom line: a sharp image for a dull comedy.]