Life Stinks

Play trailer

Life Stinks

PG-13,

1991,

1h 35m,

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Stream Now

Watchlist

25%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

45%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

25%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Affluent and arrogant businessman Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks), feuding with rival Vance Crasswell (Jeffrey Tambor) over a land deal, makes a bet with Crasswell that he has the wits and street smarts to live penniless and anonymous on the rough streets of Los Angeles for 30 days. But Bolt has a rude awakening when the reality of homelessness hits him. Still, he finds a silver lining in a burgeoning romance with Molly (Lesley Ann Warren), a former Broadway dancer who has fallen on hard times.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Stream

Prime Video

Watch Life Stinks with a subscription on Prime Video, rent on Fandango, or buy on Fandango.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

May 24, 2022

2/4

It’s materialist comedy in the best sense of the word, and when it leads to slapstick involving Thorazine in an overcrowded hospital, Brooks truly hits his stride.

Go to Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Jan 1, 2000

3/4

It may take more skill and intelligence to live without money than to make and spend a great deal of it, and that is the buried message of Life Stinks, a warmhearted new comedy from Mel Brooks.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Jul 21, 2024

7/10

It’s difficult to dismiss the simplicity and sweetness of the ludicrously rich discovering a new perspective on impoverishment - no matter how unlikely and caricaturized it is here.

Go to Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Jan 4, 2023

Supposedly a comedy about humiliation and misery, presented with almost sadistic insensibility. [Full review in Spanish]

Go to Full Review

Harriet Waugh

The Spectator

Jul 19, 2018

Lurches from a shocking reality into sentimentality and then to a finale in which it only takes a fairy Goddard to wave his lovely dollar wand and all the derelicts and poor of Los Angeles can live happily ever after in low-cost housing.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Aug 8, 2015

1.5/4

[UPDATED 2025 BLU-RAY REVIEW] Even comic geniuses are allowed an off day -- or off movie, as the case may be -- and Mel Brooks strikes out with this sizable flop.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

George S

Mar 17, 2019

No money, no credit cards, and no revealing his identity for thirty days. Con - he can't afford food. Pro - he can't afford a ticket to this movie. Billionaire real estate developer Mel Brooks takes on a daring bet to try and win his rival's half of a Los Angeles slum. After a month of living on the streets he predictably denounces his plans for a lavish development and embraces the homeless and destitute. Lesley Ann Warren provides the only character with real depth, while Rudy De Luca brings the film's best comedic relief. It has its moments of mild humor, but at no point will your stomach burn with laughter. It is, however, mostly clean humor. So if the crass style of modern comedians is a turnoff, it may be worth tuning in to.

See more

Theodore P

Apr 26, 2018

Nice and funny movie abovNice and funny movie above of that it has a valuable lesson Its sad to see how some people ended up homeless and the way they live their live suffering through day by day in a comedian funny way to make it watchable but its really sad you won;t be able to watch it if it wasn't funny its the truth that most people ignore it and most government don't want to solve this matter its life that you live in nothing is always good its hard and sad watching people living this way .. Humanity is what we look up to and it what makes us different than other creatures and yet humans won't stick to that we all know nature is so nice and beautiful but humans who make life and world so ugly !!!e of that it has a valuable lesson

See more

Anakin P

Apr 7, 2018

Brooks' heart is in the right place here and while the movie definitely has problems I think it is better than its reputation. Honestly I prefer Brooks trying something new rather than just making another spoof.

See more

Hermione G

Dec 22, 2017

An underrated Mel Brooks comedy that benefits from funny situations and great performances (especially Brooks and Warren, who steals the show every time she appears), disappointing only for coming up with a silly and implausible conclusion for the character's problems.

See more

Read all reviews

Mel Brooks

Director

Mel Brooks

Goddard Bolt

Lesley Ann Warren

Molly

Jeffrey Tambor

Vance Crasswell

Stuart Pankin

Pritchard

Howard Morris

Sailor

Witless Protection

4%

46%

Witless Protection

Watchlist

Wild Child

40%

61%

Wild Child

Watchlist

Diminished Capacity

34%

37%

Diminished Capacity

Watchlist

The Real Blonde

34%

37%

The Real Blonde

Watchlist

Spring Breakdown

50%

28%

Spring Breakdown

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Affluent and arrogant businessman Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks), feuding with rival Vance Crasswell (Jeffrey Tambor) over a land deal, makes a bet with Crasswell that he has the wits and street smarts to live penniless and anonymous on the rough streets of Los Angeles for 30 days. But Bolt has a rude awakening when the reality of homelessness hits him. Still, he finds a silver lining in a burgeoning romance with Molly (Lesley Ann Warren), a former Broadway dancer who has fallen on hard times.

Director: Mel Brooks
Producer: Mel Brooks
Screenwriter: Mel Brooks, Rudy De Luca, Steve Haberman
Production Co: Brooksfilms
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.8M
Runtime: 1h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings