History Film / LetItRide

-->'''Looney:''' I got an idea on how we can make a lot of money. Listen to me. We take the tape, right? We run down to the stables, we confront the trainer. With what he made on that last race, you think he's gonna mind slipping us, what, five grand? I mean, I don't like blackmail as much as the next person, but–

-->'''Looney:''' I got an idea on how we can make a lot of money. Listen to me. We take the tape, right? We run down to the stables, we confront the trainer. With what he made on that last race, you think he's gonna mind slipping us, what, five grand? I mean, I don't like blackmail as much as the next person, but-

-->'''Trotter:''' I already gave him the tape.
-->'''Looney:''' (''slumps down to his knees'') [[TheScream AAAAHHHHH!]]
-->'''Trotter:''' I just saved you from a lengthy jail sentence.
-->'''Looney:''' I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!

->'''Jay Trotter:''' The man just said that the only way the horse could lose was if lightning strikes! What do you like? You like the odds on lightning?

''Let It Ride'' is a American 1989 comedy film directed by Joe Pytka (''Film/SpaceJam'') and starring Creator/RichardDreyfuss, [[Music/NewYorkDolls David Johanson]], Creator/TeriGarr, Creator/JenniferTilly, Creator/AllenGarfield, [[Music/TheMamasAndThePapas Michelle Phillips]], and Creator/RobbieColtrane. Screenwriter Nancy Dowd (using the pseudonym "Ernest Morton") adapted it [[TheFilmOfTheBook from the novel]] ''Good Vibes'' by Jay Cronley (who also wrote ''Film/QuickChange'', with which this film shares many of its quirks).

''Let It Ride'' is a 1989 comedy directed by Joe Pytka (''Film/SpaceJam'') and starring Creator/RichardDreyfuss, [[Music/NewYorkDolls David Johanson]], Creator/TeriGarr, Creator/JenniferTilly, Allen Garfield, [[Music/TheMamasAndThePapas Michelle Phillips]], and Creator/RobbieColtrane, [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on]] the novel ''Good Vibes'' by Jay Cronley (who also wrote ''Film/QuickChange'', with which this film shares many of its quirks).

Jay Trotter (Dreyfuss) is a Miami cab driver who has just been looking for one good day. He sees his chance when Looney (Johanson), a fellow cab driver, records a horse owner tell his friend to bet on Charity in the first race, because it's a sure thing. Trotter sees this as a sign, and despite telling his wife Pam (Garr) he's going to quit gambling, decides to bet $50 he has saved on Charity (who's a longshot). Charity ends up winning, and though Trotter considers going home at various points, he thinks this may just be the day he's due.

* WhatAnIdiot: InUniverse, Trotter's usual reaction to Looney. For example, when Looney thinks ''nothing'' of the tape recording a conversation of a race fix, attributing it to either the guys rehearsing a play (!) or just lying to mess with Looney's head (!!), Trotter is aghast.
-->'''Trotter:''' The man just said that the only way the horse could lose was if lightning strikes! What do you like? You like the odds on lightning?!

* SpiritualSuccessor: To the works of Creator/DamonRunyon; as if to underscore the point, "[[Theatre/GuysAndDolls Fugue for Tinhorns]]" plays a few times during the movie.

* LadyInRed: Vicki, complete with AbsoluteCleavage.

* MsFanservice: Creator/JenniferTilly at her fanserviciest, as a LadyInRed with AbsoluteCleavage. To avoid an R rating, the shot of the top of her dress popping off when she tackles Trotter in the Jockey Club was cut.

Not to be confused with the [[WebComic/LetItRide web comic of the same name]].

-->'''Trotter:''' He said the only way the horse could lose is to be struck by lightning. You like the odds on ''lightning''?!

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: We never find out how other people are able to read Trotter's thoughts, nor why Trotter is so lucky, from little matters (when he goes to visit Pam near the end of the movie, he cuts a deck of cards and gets the ace of spades, convincing him to go back to the track) to bigger ones (the one horse Trotter isn't able to bet on - thanks to him getting arrested before he can lay down his bet - ends up getting into an accident during the race).

'''Looney:''' ''(clearly not knowing himself) [[PunctuatedForEmphasis He.]] [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Knew.]] '''''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis It]]'''''.

'''Looney:''' He knew '''''it'''''.

* CompletelyMissingThePoint: Pam, according to everyone at the Jockey Club, who wants to know why everyone can't just watch the horses race without betting on them.

* NotSoDifferent: Both Greenberg and Looney lose every time they bet, and both are [[SoreLoser sore losers]].

''Let It Ride'' is a comedy from 1989 directed by Joe Pytka (''Film/SpaceJam''), and starring Creator/RichardDreyfuss, [[Music/NewYorkDolls David Johanson]], Creator/TeriGarr, Creator/JenniferTilly, Allen Garfield, [[Music/TheMamasAndThePapas Michelle Phillips]], and Creator/RobbieColtrane, [[TheFilmOfTheBook based on the novel "Good Vibes" by Jay Cronley]] (who also wrote ''Film/QuickChange'', with which this film shares many of its quirks.)

Jay Trotter (Dreyfuss) is a cab driver who has just been looking for one good day. He sees his chance when Looney (Johanson), a fellow cab driver, records a horse owner tell his friend to bet on Charity in the first race, because it's a sure thing. Trotter sees this as a sign, and despite telling his wife Pam (Garr) he's going to quit gambling, decides to bet $50 he has saved on Charity (who's a longshot). Charity ends up winning, and though Trotter considers going home at various points, he thinks this may just be the day he's due.

Not to be confused with the [[WebComic/LetItRide web comic]].

* WardrobeMalfunction: In a DeletedScene, Vicki's breasts pop out of her dress when she tackles Trotter in the Jockey Club, which is why in the film all of the elderly women {{gasp}} in shock at her. [[invoked]]

* ThePlotThickens: After he's stopped from backing a losing horse, Trotter muses, "I didn't lose. ''Interesting''."

->'''Jay Trotter:''' The man just said that the only way the horse could lose was if the horse gets struck by lightning! What do you like? You like the odds on lightning?

* {{Irony}}/{{Foreshadowing}}: Every resolution Trotter and Pam make to each other -- for example, Trotter will quit gambling, while Pam will never make a scene in public again -- they end up doing in the film.