“Quick Change” (1990) – Before lawmakers cleaned up New York City, crime ran high, some areas resembled third world countries and seedy peep shows in Times Square were commonplace. Grimm (Bill Murray) works as a frustrated city planner, doesn’t like what he sees and longs to live somewhere else.
“God, I hate this town,” he says…repeatedly.
So why not rob a bank for $1,000,000 and leave the city for good?
Due to the U.S. Federal Government properly insuring bank customers’ deposits up to a certain limit, no one “really” gets hurt financially (of course, the taxpayers are on the hook for the stolen funds). If Grimm creates a full-proof plan on getting into the bank, getting out of the bank and skipping town, he could end up basking in sun with truckloads of money on some distant island. So Grimm, along with his girlfriend Phyllis (Geena Davis) and his best friend Loomis (Randy Quaid) put a his plan into motion.
Dressed as a clown – complete with a red hat and jacket, big shoes and balloons – Grimm enters a big, fancy NYC bank in order to walk away with oodles of cash. Writer/co-director Howard Franklin gets creative with Grimm’s plan, and Murray’s matter-a-fact demeanor and sarcastic sense of humor bring a lightheartedness to the armed robbery.
How will Grimm escape while scores of snipers and police officers, led by crusty old Chief Rotzinger (Jason Robards), are right outside?
Rotzinger is no dummy, and he’s determined to bag this clown. As it turns out, getting in and out of the bank wasn’t much of an issue for Grimm. The real challenge is getting out of New York!
Tony Shalhoub and the late Phil Hartman make appearances too in this oddball surprise!
Image credits: Warner Bros.; Trailer credits: Movieclips Classic Trailers
