Diagonaldi Very well executed

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Benas Mcloughlin Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

gab-14712 If you ever wanted to see what The Fast and the Furious would look like in the 1970's, look not further than this 1977 feature, Smokey and the Bandit. The movie is filled to the rim with cars, more cars, and even more cars. The movie also displays a good amount of vehicle destruction, which is common in the fore-mentioned Fast and Furious series. The cars were quite impressive to look at, even though I am not a big fan of car watching. If it has an engine and a steering wheel, that is okay by me. But seeing these 1970's models was actually pretty cool. The main car was a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and that is my kind of ride. So if you're into cars, then this wouldn't be a bad film to check out. When these cars are put into action….look out! I desperately wanted to hate this movie. I refused to watch the movie for years because it did not seem so appealing. But my love for the Fast and Furious franchise got me curious to check this film out. Color me surprised when the credits rolled on screen, because I was pleasantly surprised. I did not expect to be thoroughly entertained the entire film. From start to finish, I was involved with the action, and most importantly the characters. My two favorite characters were the main character named Bandit and the sheriff chasing after him, Buford T. Justice. I wouldn't call these characters likable, but definitely entertaining.Admittedly, the story is very silly. But then even silly stories can work sometimes if you have the right actors and the right material. Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus (Jerry Reed) are two truck drivers who decide to take a dare from these bigshot rich men. The dare consists of picking up beer from Texas and transporting it to Georgia. After they pick up the beer, Bandit decides to pick up a runaway bride named Carrie (Sally Field). Her husband-to-be's father happens to be the Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). When Justice realizes what is going on, they begin a pursuit of Bandit, his new lady, and his beer. Sounds silly, right? But my gosh, I was incredibly entertained. I also learned a fact, believe it or not, from this plot line. The famed Coors beer brand was actually illegal east of the Mississippi River during this time. So even high-profile people such as Dwight Eisenhower or Gerald Ford had to smuggle the beer from the West.The characters helped elevate the mediocre, silly story into something that was entertaining. At the time, Burt Reynolds was a movie superstar. I was impressed at his tough-guy performance in the 1972 drama, Deliverance. He brings more of that persona into this role, but with a sense of humor. His character was actually funny at times in the midst of the action that is occurring. He is also portrayed at times as a drunk and a womanizer, but compared to people he is dealing with, I'd consider Bandit a hero. I also loved the character of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. His high-speed pursuit ended up in failure most often, but one thing his character is known for is his foul mouth. (He actually gave credence to the term "sumbitch") I also thought Sally Field turned in a strong performance as Carrie. This is one of her early roles, and she gained instant fame because of this role.Smokey and the Bandit turned out to be a much better film than I could have ever anticipated. It's not an all-time favorite, but it is a solid, serviceable action film. Watching Bandit escape dozens of cops was entertaining for me. There are plenty of car chases, cool stunts, and enough characterization to give any action junkie a rush of adrenaline. There is also a good sense of humor. I particularly loved the scenes between Cledus and his dog. They were funny, but it helps there was a cute dog. I would hesitate to call the movie a classic as some people do. This movie may be silly and over-the-top at certain points, but I was incredibly entertained.My Grade: B+

Uriah43 Due to a law that made it illegal to transport Coors Beer to any state east of Texas, an extremely rich man named "Big Enos Burdett" (Pat McCormick) and his son "Little Enos" (Paul Williams) decide to make a bet to any trucker willing to drive from Atlanta to Texarkana and then return with 400 cases within 28 hours. Quite intrigued, a man with the CB handle of "Bandit" (Burt Reynolds) convinces his friend "Snowman" (Jerry Reed) to take the wager. That being said, although they manage to get the beer in Texarkana, upon beginning the drive back Bandit--who is running interference in a Trans Am for Snowman's semi-truck--picks up a female hitchhiker named "Carrie" (Sally Field) who is wearing a wedding dress and wants to get as far away from Texarkana as fast as she can. What Bandit doesn't know is that she is trying to escape from a Texas sheriff named "Buford T. Justice" (Jackie Gleason) who has just spent a great amount of time and money on a wedding for his son and is determined to get her back at all costs. And if that means pursuing him all the way to Georgia then that is exactly what this "Smokey" will do. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this movie was extremely influential in kicking off a new American craze involving CB radios and films based on highway truck drivers. Although a couple of these movies were good, many have since faded into obscurity. Fortunately, this particular film has endured the ravages of time and in my opinion is perhaps the best of the bunch. Above average.

disdressed12 I quite enjoyed this movie.it was entertaining and funny. The acting was good. Sally Field and Jackie Gleason were stand outs in my opinion, although Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed were also good. The plot was kinda silly but in a good way. The film is not trying to be something more than it is.it knows it's silly. Would I watch again? I sure would. in fact I have watched it several times, and I found I enjoyed it as much each time.as long as you don't take I too seriously going in and you know what you're for, you might enjoy the film. There's not much more that I can say,other than take a chance. You might be surprised. for me, Smokey and the Bandit is an 8/10

popcorninhell A pair of southern, good 'ol boy truck drivers are dared into bootlegging beer while being chased by countless police cars on the Fourth of July. Their aided by a runaway bride nicknamed Frog (Field) and cast of colorful characters running interference and keeping tabs on them via CB radio. The only way the plot of Smokey and the Bandit could be more unabashedly American is if someone stuck a firework up their a** while singing the national anthem. Did I mention that our protagonist, the infamous Bandit is played by none other than masculinity incarnate Burt Reynolds?Bandit's main job is being the truck's blocker; i.e. the guy who scouts ahead and distract Smokeys (police) to clear a path for his reluctant partner Snowman (Reed). As such the Bandit drives a 1977 T-Top Pontiac Firebird Trans Am special edition with a painted valve covered V8 engine and a top speed of 135 miles and hour. To complete the ensemble, the Trans Am has gold rims, is painted black and features a golden firebird ascending from the top of one mean looking hood. Smokeys from Texarkana to Georgia try in vain to catch the legendary Bandit but alas the man is too slick, even for the likes of Buford T. Justice (Gleason) a Texas sheriff whose son's bride to be has been picked up by the bristles of Burt Reynold's mustache.The events of Smokey and the Bandit play out like a live-action Road Runner (1966-1973) cartoon with Reynold's tongue firmly placed in cheek. The antics of the smooth-talking Reynolds, the rodeo clownishness of Snowman and the game-for-anything Sally Fields makes for something uniquely satisfying. Like listening to the tit-for-tat dialogue of Oscar Wilde slumming it on an episode of Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985). It goes a long way, especially when you consider you're essentially watching a B-movie with a wafer-thin plot.Perhaps "thin" isn't the word to use; rather it's small and maladroit compared to cheeseball truck-centric originators like Plunder Road (1957) and Red Ball Express (1952). There's not a lot of unnecessary subplots or backstory; heck even the time-clock aspect of the film is frightfully underplayed, choosing instead to focus on mythologizing the star, the car and the CB radio. Yet largely thanks to Jackie Gleason's scenery-chewing pomposity we never get the feeling that this film is anything more than a cheap and fun carnival ride. One whose trajectory is a barrel of laughs and whose ending is surprisingly layered given the time it was released. But who cares; stuntman turned director Hal Needham certainly doesn't and neither do the throngs of fans who have made this film a populist classic. I say let the good times roll!