Film Summary"How to Beat the High Cost of Living", a comedy directed by Robert Scheerer and launched in 1980, is an amusing representation of 3 middle-class females fighting the pressures of the increasing expense of living in their rural neighborhood. The primary characters of the story, played by Jane Curtain, Susan Saint James, and Jessica Lange, are old buddies struggling with their special monetary troubles.
Character BackgroundsElaine (Jane Curtain) is an antique store owner dealing with insolvency due to dwindling clients, while also handling her divorce and custody battle. Louise (Susan Saint James) is a housewife encountering similar difficulty managing her big family with her husband having a hard time in his job as a vet, and Jane (Jessica Lange) is pregnant and deserted by her spouse, leaving her to support her son and coming infant alone.
Plot DevelopmentTheir monetary difficulties deepen as inflation rises, making standard products, from groceries to utility costs, impossible to afford. The unforeseen discovery of the town's upcoming promo, 'You Can Live for a Year for Free,' prompts a desperate, outrageous strategy to rob the promotional money ball to be held at the regional mall. The ball apparently contains around $1 million, an amount that these ladies believe might fix their financial woes, even if it involved criminal activity. Their planning, loaded with humorous, unrealistic concepts, produces laughably entertaining viewing.
Climactic SceneThe climax occurs on the day of the event when the trio, worn scuba suits, manage to reach the cash ball and puncture it from the within utilizing a taken tow truck's hook, releasing a flood of cash across the shopping center. While they are hugely effective in getting the cash, cops get here on the scene due to the fact that Elaine's separated other half, a police officer himself, had seen his better half's suspicious habits. However, amid the confusion, only Jane is detained given that she had chosen to sacrifice herself for the others.
EndingTowards completion of the movie, Elaine and Louise handle to secure the stolen cash at Jane's house and later, with the 'robbed' money, they run their errands, clearing costs, and looking after their families. Meanwhile, Jane, out on bail, remarkably discovers her hubby back home declaring he desires a second possibility. The movie ends on a cheerfully ridiculous note, with the 3 buddies enjoying their ill-gotten gains, while the largely oblivious town stays none the better about who truly took the money.
Critical ReceptionThough it didn't receive extremely positive reviews from critics, "How to Beat the High Cost of Living" resonates with audiences, especially during recessionary periods, due to its relatable theme of financial struggles and the lengths to which ordinary people might go to overcome them. The movie skillfully intertwines a humorous script with an engaging story and strong likable characters, rendering it a light-hearted take on major economic concerns.
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