The film was a financial success, grossing $71.6 million compared to the relatively frugal budget of the film's production. It was Disney's highest-grossing film (excluding reissues). "Ruthless People" received critical acclaim, and holds a 94% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 35 reviews. The consensus on the site reads: "It's sometimes crude and tasteless, but "Ruthless People" wrings acid-soaked laughs out of its dark premise and gleefully misanthropic characters." On Metacritic the film has a score of 78% based on reviews from 15 critics. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.