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When men hit a certain age, it’s supposed to be no big surprise when they ditch both their broken-down family car and their reliable wife for flashier, sportier, younger models. But in 1991’s City Slickers, a trio of friends skip the sports cars and set out to ride the range on a trusty horse instead.
City Slickers stars Billy Crystal as Mitch Robbins, a 39-year-old New Yorker who’s stuck in a rut. He’s losing his passion for just about everything—and his son (Jake Gyllenhaal) seems embarrassed of him. So when his closest friends, confirmed bachelor Ed (Bruno Kirby) and downtrodden Phil (Daniel Stern), surprise Mitch with a two-week cattle-driving getaway for his birthday, his wife encourages him to go, hoping that he’ll find himself somewhere out on the range. But as the three old friends set out to learn to be real cowboys, they end up getting more than they bargained for.
The impressive restoration of this beloved comedy is loaded with laughs as Mitch, his friends, and their fellow cattle drivers struggle to learn the ropes while under the watchful—and disapproving—eye of stern but wise cowboy Curly (played by Jack Palance in his Oscar-winning role). The men’s misadventures will definitely keep viewers entertained.
Still, it may be billed as a comedy, but City Slickers is a surprisingly profound comedy—one that has a lot to say about men, their relationships, and their quest for happiness and fulfillment in life. The men are all at turning points in their lives: Phil lost his wife and his job following an affair with a young coworker, Ed jumps from one younger woman to another, and Mitch is struggling in his pointless job. And as they ride their horses through the wide-open spaces out west, their topics of conversation gradually shift from their favorite baseball teams and players to their best days, their worst days, and their proudest moments. And, along the way, they’re forced to confront challenges that send them home changed men.
Meanwhile, it’s all interspersed with plenty of Billy Crystal-style laughs—which, admittedly, don’t always hit their target. But Crystal manages to be both humorous and charming in this cattle-driving dramedy. It isn’t outrageously funny, and it isn’t a heavy drama—but it’s a lovable comedy that will sometimes surprise you with its insight.
If it’s been a while since you last saw City Slickers, it’s worth another look. Not only is it an entertaining adventure, but, now that you’re more grown up, it’s probably a lot more meaningful that you remember, too.
