Cannonball Run, The (1981)

Cannonball Run, The (1981)

“You are certainly the most distinguished group of highway scofflaws and degenerates ever gathered together in one place.”

Synopsis:
An eccentric group of competitors — played by Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Jackie Chan, Adrienne Barbeau, Farrah Fawcett, Jamie Farr, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and others — participate in an illegal cross-country car race known as the Cannonball Run.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Burt Reynolds Films
  • Car Racing
  • Comedy
  • Dean Martin Films
  • Ensemble Cast
  • Peter Fonda Films
  • Rivalry

Review:
The Cannonball Run was the fifth highest grossing film of 1981, and remains a nostalgic favorite for those who remember watching it upon its release (either in theaters or on cable). The characterizations by an all-star cast are amusingly irreverent, and there’s some fun to be had in seeing the depths to which these fanatical competitors will go in order to win the race. This isn’t great filmmaking by any means (see Roger Ebert’s panning review, for instance), but The Cannonball Run remains an iconic piece of pop culture, and will probably be of passing interest to film fanatics for this reason alone.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • An all-star cast having innocent screwball fun together

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look simply for its status as a nostalgic favorite.

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2 thoughts on “Cannonball Run, The (1981)

  1. Hey pallies, like the Cannonball is such a cool and groovy little flick just for fun. How cool to find dudes like Dino playin’ it for the laughs. Cannonball I and II were the last flicks that Dino appeared in.

  2. First (and last) viewing. Lame.

    I would hope that even blue-collar ffs would want better than this. Humor snob that I am, I can still appreciate low-brow, but this is pushing it. Did they even bother to hire a writer?!

    Even the racing aspect of the film…well, as one character aptly states, “This is really boring.”

    This is not a film for ffs. This is for guys who like to crack open a beer and lie back for some mindless ‘fun’. Good luck finding it here.

    It made a shitload of money…of course.

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