If you’re familiar with the quote, “We’re on a mission from God,” then you might be a Blues Brothers fan. The iconic movie featuring “Saturday Night Live” stars Dan Akroyd and John Belushi hit the screen in the early 1980s and has become a classic in the decades since. For those who haven’t seen it, the movie follows the fictional brothers Elwood and Jake Blues on a quest to save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised. Since they fronted a blues band prior to Jake’s incarceration, they have decided to reunite with the other members to do a fundraiser. The entire movie is one ridiculous scene after another, mixed in with musical numbers and fabulous guest stars. 

In the book The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic by Daniel de Vise, the reader learns how both men became iconic comedy stars and how certain events contributed to the making of the Blues Brothers characters. Attention is given to the creation of “Saturday Night Live” and the actors who launched the TV phenomena (which recently celebrated 50 years). My favorite parts were the behind-the-scenes tales of making the movie from writing the script to filming it in Chicago and the surrounding area (one iconic scene was made minutes from my childhood home!). The book also explores other personal tragedies surrounding the actors, and though I knew what was coming at the end, I still found myself tearing up a little. 

TV and movie aficionados will definitely enjoy this thorough stroll down memory lane. De Vise has done his research and weaves together stories and interviews to create a worthy addition to your reading list. The audiobook is expertly narrated by Johnny Heller.

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