Quick Change (1990)

dir. Howard Franklin, Bill Murray. Grimm (Murray), robs a bank dressed as a clown, along with two friends, and spend the day trying to escape from the police. Bill Murray’s only directorial credit, and it’s brilliant. One of my favourite comedy-crime films. Some painfully suspenseful scenes with the semi-competent thieves always on the verge of catastrophe. Gina Davis is fantastic as always. Supporting cast is outstanding, especially the talented Phil Hartman as the gun wielding yuppie, and Stanley Tucci as the bootlicking mob enforcer. The only aspect that has not aged well is the cabbie (Tony Shalhoub) with his gibberish foreign accent, which he made up for the role. The film is dedicated to Helen Scott, who was a collaborator and close friend to both Francois Truffaut, and Bill Murray, she introduced Murray to the book that this film is based on. Sadly she passed away three years before QUICK CHANGE was released. The same book was also made into the French film HOLD-UP (1985), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.