Used Cars

Set on a run down used car lot, the story follows Rudy Russo, a fast talking, ambitious salesman who believes his charm can save the business. When the elderly owner is murdered, the future of the lot hangs in the balance as the ruthless Luke Fuchs pushes to expand his rival operation. With the two brothers feuding and the clock ticking, Rudy hatches a plan to keep the place independent and outmaneuver the competing dealer, all while dodging a parade of schemers, crooked buyers, and chaotic repair jobs. The film leans on quick quips, practical gags, and a steady stream of eccentric customers who pop in and out of the sales pitch. It keeps the pace lively, trading on energy and a gleeful sense of hustle rather than heavy drama.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis with a screenplay by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, Used Cars arrived in 1980 as an early example of their brisk, offbeat humor and rapid dialogue that would mark their later films. The movie leans into car lot slang, visual gags, and a sense of predatory business as a comedy of manners set in a working class world.

The movie took about 8,000,000 to make and earned 11,715,321 at the box office, a modest return that reflected steady interest without turning into a mega hit. It found an audience during its initial release and has since been appreciated by fans of its era's humor.

Among fans of late 70s and early 80s comedies, Used Cars is remembered for Zemeckis and Gales' brisk energy and Kurt Russell's swaggering salesman. It helped cement their style of fast dialogue paired with visual gags, a tone later echoed in their biggest hits.

Critics at the time noted a blend of sharp dialogue and physical humor, with praise for Russell's energy and the film's satirical look at the car trade. The story explores ambition and greed, loyalty and clever trickery, and the way a small business fights to stay afloat in a cut throat market.