City Lights (1931)

Prepare yourself for an extra special glimpse into my life. The camaraderie that I share with one of my roommates (whose name is Riley), and the concentrated hate I have for my other roommate (whose name is also Riley), is what inspired me to do AFI's list. I decided that by using the TV until all hours of the night watching these movies not only gives my sidekick and I something to do on a Tuesday night, but it also gives me the opportunity to not let my crappy roommate watch his crappy shows, thereby making his life a living hell. When City Lights came up next on the list Good Riley (who is the exact opposite of Bizzaro Riley) and I mistook it for a football movie. "City Lights, that's the football movie with Billy Bob Thorton isn't it?" I asked. "Do you love Billy Bob Thorton as much as I do?" he responded. "I sure do. Something about his big, bald head and his being completely white trash makes me want to watch him all the time." "Me too. You know who else is in this movie? Tim McGraw! Can I get a hells-yeah?" None of this conversation actually happened but we did mistake it for that movie (it's called Friday Night Lights in case you were curious). No City Lights is not a football movie. It is actually Charlie Chaplin's last silent film.

Charlie Chaplin plays a tramp who falls in love with a blind flower girl. Do to certain events, she thinks he is rich. They both get word of a surgery that will restore her sight, and he sets out to pay for the surgery despite the risk that she will find out he's not rich. Along the way he becomes a drinking buddy with a millionaire who doesn't remember him when he is sober, which brings a lot of laughs.

City Lights is filled with funny bodily harm, laugh out loud parties, and even a ridiculous boxing match. I must say I was incredibly surprised by this movie. It was mildly humorous at the beginning, but by the end I couldn't stop laughing. I had no idea a silent movie could be so entertaining.

The bottom line:
Rating: 4.5
Would I own it? I could see it happening, but not anytime soon.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but selectively. I wouldn't recommend it to someone I didn't think would appreciate it.