I’ve been a fan of Ghostbusters for as long as I can remember now, and so I’ve always been interested to see more from the people that were involved in it. High on this list has always been Stripes, a movie that came out a few years before Ghostbusters that always looked like a funny comedy to me. Plus, it’s directed by Ivan Reitman (who directed Ghostbusters), and stars the comedy duo of Bill Murray and Harold Ramis, two of the four Ghostbusters. This is what initially drew me to the movie, but the comparisons to Ghostbusters definitely stop there.

The basic premise here is that Bill Murray and Harold Ramis play two average guys that are down on their luck. So, to help get their lives back on track, they decide it would be a good idea to enroll in the army. The basic running joke here is “imagine two guys like Bill Murray and Harold Ramis joining the military,” and there’s your recipe for an entertaining comedy. It’s really funny to see two schmucks like them in the army, and the antics that happen as a result.

I’d recommend Stripes to people with similar comedic tastes as mine, but if nothing I just said tracks with you, then I don’t think it’s a necessary movie for you to watch. It’s nothing amazing by any means, it’s just a fun random 80s comedy. With that being said, if the premise or the names involved strike your fancy, then it’s definitely worth a look. I will say that the comedy is very 80s, and so because of that some of the jokes don’t really track as well today. There are certain jokes or scenes that I just can’t imagine being put into a movie nowadays, and so that’s either the charm or the reason not to watch it, depending on who you are. Personally, while I do enjoy comedies today as well, I like being able to get a different brand of humor from a movie like this.

Overall, Stripes is a great movie, but it’s also easy to see why it hasn’t gone down as an all-time classic. I think the movie falters a bit in the third act, but up until then it’s pretty entertaining. I really like the cast here, and the humor is right up my alley. I’ll never say it’s a must-see, but if you’re into this kind of comedy, then it’s certainly worth checking out at some point.

4/5