Wired 1989

In a sweeping look at a dazzling yet troubled career, this biographical portrait begins with John Belushi lighting up the stage on Saturday Night Live in 1976, delivering the blues number “I’m the King Bee” with the Killer Bees. The film then shifts to a stark turn of fate: in March 1982, Belushi is found dead from an overdose and is taken to the coroner’s office. As night folds into the early hours, a mysterious force rouses him from the quiet of death, and he bolts from the hospital in a frantic escape. A taxi ride leads him to reveal a surprising truth: the driver, Angel Velasquez, recognizes the man he is and reveals that he is John’s guardian angel, a guiding presence who will accompany him on a strange, revealing journey. They arrive at the Chateau Marmont, where Belushi confronts the reality that he had died the previous night, and the afterlife path begins as he revisits the life that drugs had shaped.

Together, Belushi and Angel begin a long, reflective tour through the actor’s accomplishments and missteps, tracing the choices that fueled his rise and the temptations that nearly consumed him. The journey back in time introduces a pivotal early chapter: Belushi meets Judy Jacklin before forming the band The Ravens in the 1960s. The tale then moves into his training years at The Second City in 1972, where a demanding teacher pushes him to “make them laugh until it hurts,” a line of pressure that will echo through his career. In the months leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live, Belushi signs with manager Arnie Fromson, a decision that helps propel him into the spotlight. The ascent continues as he becomes one of the era’s defining performers, a path that brings him into contact with Cathy Smith, with whom he experiments on drugs to sharpen his comedic edge. The ascent then intersects with cinematic success, notably a starring turn in Animal House, a film that cements his fame but also deepens the grip of substance use.

As the fame deepens, Belushi’s personal life intertwines with Judy Jacklin’s, an engagement that grows through the years; a beach moment where he asks her to marry is followed by the sobering reality of drug use. Judy, along with his friend and collaborator Dan Aykroyd, watches Belushi’s reliance on cocaine intensify, a pattern that strains friendships and work alike. The duo’s collaboration evolves into the high-octane Blues Brothers act, a partnership that fuels their film ambitions and ultimately leads to a major movie adaptation. The production years bring formidable pressure—Belushi’s reliance on cocaine helps him push through demanding shoots, including the filming of Continental Divide—even as Judy tries to help him moderate his usage. The vice resurges, driving a rift between Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Arnie Fromson, and Judy, and he searches for a route back to health even as old habits threaten to derail everything.

In the midst of this turmoil, a separate thread unfolds: Bob Woodward begins shaping a book about Belushi’s life. Judy, Arnie, and Cathy share their experiences with him, and the journalist’s perspective shifts toward understanding why Belushi turned to drugs. Belushi himself, observed by Angel, attempts to connect with Woodward, hoping to make sense of the pressures from the film and television industries that haunted him. After a pivotal conversation with Dan, Woodward travels to Belushi’s room at the Chateau Marmont to piece together the events of his final night. A dramatic wager then arises between Belushi and his guardian angel: if Belushi can win a pinball game on a Blues Brothers–themed table, he will live. The bet ends in Belushi’s defeat, yet the encounter continues as he speaks with Woodward, revealing the torment and the relentless craving that defined his last days. The conversation also foregrounds Judy’s pain, with Belushi explaining the heavy burdens of fame that contributed to his choices, while Woodward pushes back against the idea that success justified the cost.

As the story moves toward its poignant close, the film captures a candid moment: an audio interview with Cathy in which she is asked whether she and Belushi shared a romantic relationship. Her answer is clear and steady: “No, he loved his wife.” The emotional arc culminates in a final, haunting image: Belushi’s likeness appears on screen as Joe Cocker, singing the tender line “You Are So Beautiful” on SNL, as the title “Wired” gradually forms over the fading scene. The film invites viewers to consider the corrosive nature of fame, the lure of escape through substances, and the human costs borne by those who live in the public eye, all while offering a measured, reflective tribute to a beloved comic performer and the era that defined him.

breathe for him