Car Wash marks the point at which defiant blaxploitation turned decisively into upbeat crossover entertainment.
Car Wash (1976)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:21
Fresh:18
Rotten:3
Average Rating:6.7/10
Synopsis: Director Michael Schultz follows up his critically acclaimed and commercially successful COOLEY HIGH with this hilarious day-in-the-life tale set in modern day Los Angeles. At Sully Boyar's car... Director Michael Schultz follows up his critically acclaimed and commercially successful COOLEY HIGH with this hilarious day-in-the-life tale set in modern day Los Angeles. At Sully Boyar's car wash, a juvenile, motley crew of city dwellers "work their fingers to the bone" waiting on the eccentric and sometimes haughty clientele. Throughout the day, the young men find time to indulge in personal pursuits: one fellow fantasizes about the pretty waitress working at a local restaurant, a militant preaches politics, while more disgruntled workers find a way to justify their laziness. As the day wears on, the many levels of oppression that control each individual's lives gradually become apparent. Luckily, Schultz and screenwriter Joel Schumacher don't dwell on the potentially depressing aspects of their subject matter; proving that sometimes laughter is the best medicine, they stuff their film with enough verbal, visual, and situational humor to keep the audience laughing throughout. This can also be attributed to the performances by the all-star ensemble of performers, including Franklin Ajaye, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Bill Duke, and Garrett Morris. Cementing the deal is the film's soundtrack, which features the soulful music of diva Rose Royce. [More]
Starring: Richard Pryor, Franklin Ajaye, George Carlin, Irwin Corey
Starring: Richard Pryor, Franklin Ajaye, George Carlin, Irwin Corey, Sully Boyar, Ivan Dixon, Antonio Fargas, Tracy Reed, Richard Brestoff, Bill Duke, Ed Metzger
Director: Michael Schultz
Director: Michael Schultz
Screenwriter: Joel Schumacher
Producer: Art Linson, Gary Stromberg
Composer: Norman Whitfield
Reviews for Car Wash
Norman Whitfield's great musical score is integrated into the movement of the scenes to give the film a funky rhythm.
Uses gritty humor to polish clean the souls of a lot of likeable street people.
It was both a riot and surprisingly had something poignant to say about race relations.
The screenplay and the direction juggle the characters so adroitly, this is almost a wash-and-wax M*A*S*H.
There's no plot as such, just a collection of gags, issues and themes...
Latest News for Car Wash
December 12, 2005:
Richard Pryor Passes Away at 65
Richard Pryor passed away yesterday morning, and while he's probably best remembered for his incendiary stand-up material (as evidenced in 1979's "Live in Concert,"... More...
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