This holiday season, join The Black Nerds at the Revue Cinema for a special screening of Trading Places, a classic 80s comedy that pairs holiday humour with sharp satire on wealth and class. At just 21, Eddie Murphy shines as Billy Ray Valentine, a street-smart hustler whose world is turned upside down in a “social experiment” orchestrated by two wealthy brokers. Opposite Murphy, Dan Aykroyd plays Louis Winthorpe III, an upper-class stockbroker who loses everything in this “experiment.”
Trading Places plays with the idea that the financial world is a game, with the stakes being people’s lives and livelihoods. Through this idea, the film offers a satirical commentary on the excesses of capitalism and the way it dehumanizes individuals, turning people into commodities to be manipulated for sport.
Eddie Murphy’s charismatic performance on the big screen, fresh off his Saturday Night Live success, solidified him as a comedic powerhouse and launched a career filled with genre-defining films. Jamie Lee Curtis’s role as Ophelia—a savvy sex worker who adds her own dose of wit and warmth, showcased her versatility beyond horror, helping her pivot into a new phase of her career. Together, they bring energy, humor, and undeniable chemistry to this holiday classic, with additional appearances by young talents who would soon make their own mark in Hollywood.
Content Warning:
As Black film programmers, we recognize that Trading Places reflects both the strengths and complexities of films from its time. While the film is celebrated for its humor and social critique, it also contains a scene with Dan Aykroyd in blackface—an outdated and offensive portrayal that, though acknowledged with regret by Aykroyd, still carries the weight of its racist depiction. Our work as programmers is to approach such moments with a critical lens, acknowledging both the cultural impact of classic films and the problematic portrayals within them. We see this as part of the ongoing work to engage thoughtfully with films we love, especially when they bring forward issues that continue to shape our viewing experience.
Join us for this holiday season screening of Trading Places—a witty blend of humor, nostalgia and social satire.
-Faduma Gure
Event Venue
Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Avenue,Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tickets