I finally sat down to watch this move which features one of Hollywood's classic couples - Burt Reynolds and Lonnie Anderson. It's running time is only about an hour and forty five minutes so it wasn't a big time investment and didn't lend itself to a huge epinion.

I never give away major plot details, so read on. I won't ruin the movie for you!

The basic plot
Stroker Ace (Burt) is a Nascar hero. A fan favorite and winning driver, the character seems to remind you of a 1970's version of Jeff Gordon. Ace has a reckless streak very similar to that of Tom Cruise's character in Days of Thunder which causes his team to fire him. He's lured to a team sponsored by Chicken Pit restaurants and that is where the movie really begins.

The rest of the movie is spent chronicaling Stroker's time with Chicken Pit racing.

The cast:
There are really three major characters in this movie.

Burt Reynolds plays his role very well. That classic look really fits into the Nascar scene well and he can certainly make you believe the cocky, larger than life character.

Lonnie Anderson is the sunday school teacher employed for her looks to help lure Reynolds to Chicken Pit racing. She plays the innocent role excellently, and has the looks to make you believe the concept.

The third character is "Lugs", Stroker Ace's crew chief. Played by the man who was Gomer Pyle, Lugs also plays the dumb hick angle and works it well.

The supporting cast is up to the challenge of doing just that: supporting these stars. They really don't do much to push the movie over three stars but they don't hurt it either.

The script:
This is surprisingly well written. The dialogue is smooth and realistic. Lines aren't stilted and you get a feel of continuity through the movie.

The humor:
I feel the movie goes down here. The entire flick relies on comedy and when this was released originally I'm sure it was funny. The humor doesn't translate well into the new millenium though, as it comes across as stale and silly.

The race scenes:
Of course a Nascar movie has race scenes in it. Mostly they are filmed with Burt actually driving in a controlled environment which aids to the believability of the entire movie. The crashes (doesn't every race have some?) seem to be real Nascar crashes that were spliced in to give the effect of drama.

Compare it to:
If you liked Days of Thunder try this movie. It's not as dramatic but it is pretty close to the same movie. Also, if you liked the Smokey and the Bandit movies you'll enjoy this one. The humor and acting are close enough to call this movie part of that series.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12