In this offbeat comedy,
Jeff Bridges plays Craig Blake, a rich kid who works with a group of hard-living Southern real-estate men led by Jabo (
Joe Spinell), who are buying up a business district in Birmingham, Alabama in order to clear the space and put in a new project. Craig is supposed to work out a deal to buy the Olympic Spa, a gym popular with local weight-lifters, but after spending some time at the club, Craig finds himself fascinated with the people there, especially Joe Santo (
Arnold Schwarzenegger), a world-class body builder from Austria who sometimes works out in a superhero costume and likes to play bluegrass fiddle to relax. Craig also makes the acquaintance of Mary Tate Farnsworth (
Sally Field), a feisty gal who hangs out with Joe. Mary Tate finds Craig attractive, but she isn't sure he's being all that sincere, and she wonders why a wealthy real estate man is hanging out with a bunch of low-rent gym rats. Stay Hungry was a critical comeback for director
Bob Rafelson and kick-started the careers of both
Sally Field and
Arnold Schwarzenegger in their first major film roles (unless you count Arnold's misbegotten appearance as "Arnold Strong" in
Hercules In New York). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide