lost-in-limbo After directing Tom Hanks in the comedy smash "Bachelor Party" the year before, Neal Israel would go to take on the traffic school comedy "Moving Violations" with the same fruity results. While I like "Bachelor Party" better, still it's not taking anything away from it, as it had loads of humorous instances consisting of visual gags and gaudy one-liners from a light-headed script. There are some misfires evident, but it's just too pleasant and how can you pass its catchy soundtrack.After losing their licenses for repeated offences a group of drivers are sentenced to traffic school and their cars impounded, but their bitter driving instructors (once highly regarded officers) are making sure they won't easily pass.It's the usual formula, as it has that chaotically nutty vein that flowed through "Police Academy (1984)". Sure it can be dumb and low-brow, but its mishap humour is enjoyably staged. Namely James Keach's uptight shtick as Deputy Halik was a complete hoot and an amusing Nedra Volz's blind as a bat turn as Mrs. Loretta Houk. The cast are committed to their misfit characters and made it more the merrier. A likable John Murray (brother of Bill) chips in with his self-knowing presence, throwing around snappy quips. When Keach and Murray came together is when it livened up. Jennifer Tilly keeps it perky and sincere in a role doesn't really ask a real lot from her. Brian Backer is in a usual dweeb role and a diverting Ned Eisenberg bloodshed happy turn is great (the sequence involving the class watching the tape; Blood flows red on the highway!" shows the slightly disturbing obsession). Which he's tagged obviously as a horror fan (referencing films like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Friday the 13th" films). Lisa Hart Carroll is marvellous as the cold-hearted deputy Virginia Morris and her cat-fight with Sally Kellerman's shrewish character is unforgettable. Also there's pleasurable support by Fred Willard, Wendie Jo Sperber, Willard E. Pugh and Nadine Van der Velde. Other familiar stars in nothing more than minor cameos are Don Cheadle and Dedee Pfeiffer.

Jack Gallagher At the time this film was made (the 1980s), it was sometimes the case that a person might enjoy watching horror films. This cultural moment is crystallized in artistic permanence here by the character of Wink Barnes, played by Ned Eisenberg. In his many scenes, Mr. Barnes brings up the topic of horror films despite their inapplicability to the diaphanous and delicate plot of Moving Violations. On meeting a woman, he asks her about her own tastes in horror cinema. Being told that a classmate is anxious about his father's reaction to a dismaying contretemps, Wink advises watching a horror film. When Dana Cannon tells a largely pointless anecdote about violence in the Arab world, Wink arrives and announces that he, given his tastes for violence, would like to see such a thing. Asked to meet his friends socially, he arrives dressed as Jason Voorhees. Some sophisticated viewers might feel that they had come to sufficiently understand Wink's character at this point and would not need to see his schtick reiterated without elaboration any more. Such viewers are in for a surprise as Barnes appears again and again, sounding his one note each time.Other fashions and political movements of the 1980s are similarly examined by the film (punk music, space exploration, perms), but none with the relentless jackhammer regularity of the mystifyingly dull jokes about Wink Barnes's taste in film.

EDBAYES one of the funniest of funny ladies..... she will be truly missed by all................ I know she is smiling and laughing as I type. Traffic Violations (which I always called Night School) has her in one of her best roles. The girl who sat on the car lift to get oiled. You have to see the movie to understand what I just said. I did admire this fine actress and wonder why her death report failed to make television news or even a mention on the radio. If you get the opportunity and need a good clean funny movie to watch with the kids...this is the one to look for. Just get yourself a box of towels to wipe away the tears of laughter........Poooooor Wendi, and she had to run all those miles between oil changes.......even QuickieChange could not have written lines that funny.

elvisbloom OK, Normally movies like this suck. Get a bunch of random k-list actors and put them in some crazy romp and suckiness ensues. In this case, they managed to hit comic gold. Murray is NOT his brother, but he can't help but share some of his DNA and so therefore is pretty passable. And Mark Ratner is also very good as a character who is pretty much Mark Ratner(or "Rat" as Mike Damone would say). James Keach is brilliant! This guy does not get enough props. The perfect stick up his arse cop. (You might also remember him as a cop in Vacation... "i'll go scrape the rest of the carcass off the road") This guy is underrated. Now someone may think I am being sarcastic! Nothing could be further from the truth! This movie has a great beginning, a superb middle and a decent ending. Not a bad payoff for watching! Fred Willard! Wendy JO! This movie has everything! Also Ned Eisenberg is an over-looked commodity in Hollywood as is well used here as the psycho of the bunch. He would have made a great Dave to Dean Cameron's Chainsaw (Summer School)Do yourself a favor and relive all the fun of this classic.