MovieChat Forums > The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) Discussion > No mentions of similarities between this...

No mentions of similarities between this and Used Cars?


It seemed to me that Used Cars (1980) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081698/) was an obvious inspiration for this film. It's almost like one long homage. I can't guarantee you'll like Used Cars if you liked this, but it's worth checking out. I love both films, by the way.


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[deleted]

I didn't really see it, I guess they're both comedic movies about car salesman, but other than that?

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I suspected "Used Cars" or possibly "Cadillac Man" would have been the inspiration for this, but really, the resemblance ends with the job description. I think more likely, this film was inspired by the documentary "Slasher," about an itinerant used-car salesman (the title refers to slashing prices):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375073/

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There's no resemblance whatsoever to Used Cars which is superior other than the fact that they're both comedies about car salesmen. Those are two very broad topics that have been mined in alot of other movies.

Movies about used car salesmen pretty much write themselves. You don't need to watch prior movies to be able to come up with a decent story.

However this movie is hilarious on its own merits but more similar to those slapstick Airplane movies.

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oxblood wrote:

There's no resemblance whatsoever to Used Cars which is superior other than the fact that they're both comedies about car salesmen. Those are two very broad topics that have been mined in alot of other movies.


That just isn't true. Here are other obvious similarities:

(1) They desperately need to sell a lot of cars in a short time period to effect something or other (in Used Cars, to get a senate nomination, in this one, to avoid losing the lot).

(2) The prominent use of misleading tv commercials.

(3) Cheap gimmicks to draw customers to the lot (i.e. strippers in Used Cars, the carnival theme promoted by Roy L Fuchs).

(4) The fate of the car lot hinging on the last second sale (or, in Used Cars, the last second appearance) of a single car. The film ends.

There are probably other similarities I'm forgetting. It's *obvious* that this film was inspired directly by Used Cars. I'm surprised they didn't have a fake sheriff in their commercials.

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