Life Stinks Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Life Stinks Blu-ray Movie Review

"They force me to live in the crap, and now they're taking the crap away? No!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 10, 2025

Writer/director Mel Brooks and co-writers Rudy De Luca, Steve Haberman and Ron Clark divisive 'Life Stinks' was originally released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in July of 2015. That edition has since gone out of print. Sandpiper Pictures has since acquired the rights to the film, bringing 'Life Stinks' back to Blu-ray with solid video and audio, albeit unfortunately without the special features that graced Kino Lorber's version. The film stars Mel Brooks, Lesley Ann Warren, Jeffrey Tambor, Stuart Pankin, Howard Morris, Rudy De Luca, Teddy Wilson, Michael Ensign, Matthew Faison, Billy Barty, Brian Thompson, Robert Ridgely, Mike Pniewski and Marianne Muellerleile.

I have a bit more affection for Life Stinks than my colleague, Brian Orndorf, who reviewed the Kino Lorber Blu-ray ten years ago. Chalk it up to an unapologetic fondness for anything from the mind of Mel Brooks, or perhaps just a more sensitive funny bone, but the film's broad, on-the-nose comedy still works for me, drawing laughs where perhaps groans are more appropriate. It is dated, particularly in its treatment of mental illness, but there's a lightness and harmlessness in its joyous ride to rock bottom that has enough heart and humor to overcome its lesser qualities. It's by no means one of Brooks' best, that much is certain. It lacks the cleverness and mismatched subtly/overtness that Brooks does so well. But it also has something to say, and enough satirical verve to say it loud and proud, which in this age of billionaires and presidents tromping overtop the poor and less fortunate, is a welcome stab at power, the wallets of the rich and the emptiness of their hearts.

A billionaire developer who lives a life of luxury, Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks) is a ruthless businessman with a plan to clear away the slums of Los Angeles to build a shiny utopia. Only owning half of the land, Goddard looks to buy out Vance (Jeffrey Tambor), but his rival isn't interested in selling. Instead of enduring a stalemate, Vance proposes a bet, sending Goddard into the dangerous area to live for 30 days without money, offering him his real estate if he can last the month. Stripped of cash, hair, and resources, Goddard is left with nothing, quickly receiving an education on survival as he hunts for shelter and begs for food. Meeting fellow vagrant Molly (Lesley Ann Warren), Goddard finds a disturbed woman who emerges as a friend, helping the broken CEO navigate the streets, with the pair bonding as homeless challenges mount. Back in the lap of luxury, Vance is growing impatient, attempting to change the terms of the bet while Goddard is away, looking to steal the land and leave his opponent penniless.

Click here to read the rest of Brian Orndorf's review of Life Stinks, which he calls Brooks' "worst, dragged to a full stop by uncharacteristic lifelessness." Adding, "it's a feature that just doesn't work, no matter how hard it emphasizes punchlines or slaps around actors. It's an unpleasant, unfunny comedy that attempts to make light of the dire subject of homelessness, with Brooks somehow believing that gags concerning alcoholism and mental illness are enough to generate a level of social awareness that could justify the wince-inducing screenplay."

Life Stinks Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Minted from an older master, Life Stinks nevertheless features a solid, sometimes striking 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer that, all things considered, gets the job done. Colors are lifelike and natural, though saturation occasionally feels limp. Contrast is uneven but pleasing on the whole, with well-lit exteriors home to strong primaries, convincing skintones and deep, satisfying black levels. Delineation is spot on too, without much in the way of crush or over-exposed shadows. Detail, unfortunately, fluctuates quite a bit; sometimes soft, sometimes crisp, clarity struggles to maintain a high degree of precision, with several sequences appearing less refined than a new remaster would likely reveal. It's in these moments that the master's age makes itself known. There is a rather pleasing veil of grain throughout the picture; filmic and attractive. But even it is prone to inconsistencies that render it unreliable. Noise reduction has been applied to an unoffensive degree it seems, though its application is judicious enough to avoid raising any serious alarm bells. Thankfully, there isn't much in the way of print wear, macroblocking or banding, despite the fact that compression is a bit average at times. Only the most eagle-eyed videophiles will notice, but it still registers as another mark against the transfer. All in all, Life Stinks holds its own. Any issues are limited and slight, and fans will be too busy enjoying the film to notice.

Life Stinks Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Life Stinks represents another Sandpiper Blu-ray to follow in the footsteps of those that came before, porting over the same DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track as the 2015 Kino Lorber release. There's nothing exactly wrong with that decision. The track features clear, intelligible dialogue, crisp effects and score, and decent weight and presence. But it lacks the immersive qualities, surround channels and LFE support that might make for a more engaging experience.

Life Stinks Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only extra included on the Blu-ray release of Life Stinks is the film's theatrical trailer. Missing from the 2015 Kino Lorber release is an audio commentary with Brooks and co-writers Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman, as well as a 15-minute 2003 featurette. Their absence, especially the commentary track, is felt.

Life Stinks Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Life Stinks isn't the best of Brooks' work but it still has its share of laughs. Some will roll their eyes and wince at its more outdated gags, but I still find it to be enough fun to warrant a spot on my shelves. Sandpiper's Blu-ray release leaves something to be desired, but even so, it offers enough video punch and audio kick to work. Unfortunately, there are missing supplements, which is never a good surprise.