Watch Stripes

Stripes is a 1981 American comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Len Blum and Daniel Goldberg. The movie follows the story of two friends, John Winger (played by Bill Murray) and Russell Ziskey (played by Harold Ramis), who are both unemployed and decide to join the U.S. Army to change their lives. The film begins with John Winger, a cab driver, losing his job and his girlfriend on the same day. In a state of desperation, he convinces his friend Russell Ziskey, a high school teacher, to join the Army with him. After joining, they both realize that Army life is tougher than they had anticipated, especially due to their lack of experience in the military.

The two friends meet a variety of characters during their basic training, including Sgt. Hulka (played by John Candy), who is tough and uncompromising but eventually warms up to Winger and Ziskey. They also meet attractive fellow soldier Stella (played by P.J. Soles), who catches Winger's eye and becomes the object of his affections.

As Winger and Ziskey progress through their training, they become more confident and competent soldiers, but their attitudes towards the Army never really change. Winger is shown to be a witty but irresponsible individual who has little respect for authority figures, while Ziskey is a sensitive and caring man who struggles with the physical demands of Army life.

After their training is complete, Winger and Ziskey are assigned to Italy where they become embroiled in a secret mission involving a Czechoslovakia border dispute. They succeed in their mission but end up getting themselves and their fellow soldiers in trouble in the process.

Overall, Stripes is a classic comedy film that showcases the talents of its talented cast, particularly the late John Candy, whose portrayal of Sgt. Hulka stands out as one of the standout performances in the movie. The film touches on themes of friendship, loyalty, and camaraderie while also effectively satirizing the military establishment.

The humor is a blend of slapstick comedy and witty one-liners, with Murray stealing most scenes with his clever quips and humorous antics. The movie is a classic representation of the kind of comedies that were popular in the 1980s, with a soundtrack featuring artists like Elmer Bernstein and composer Captain Beefheart that emphasizes the film's fun-loving and lighthearted sensibility.

Overall, Stripes is a movie that still holds up over time and is worth watching for fans of classic comedy films. It's a fun and exciting ride that's not to be missed.

Stripes is a 1981 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 68.