Review by All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
is neutral about it.
The comedian
Robert Wuhl once did a very funny stand-up bit where he lauded
Burt Reynolds as a talented guy who happened to have made a lot of bad movies, then proceeded to count the "good" movies on one hand and then list the "bad" ones on both hands and feet. Maybe that's a little unfair, especially considering the mini-renaissance Reynolds has enjoyed over the last few years, but Hooper is a film that falls into the stereotypical
Burt Reynolds mold, namely that it features a lot of cars, explosions, stunts, and general juvenile buffoonery. A re-teaming of Reynolds with his
Smokey and the Bandit team of
Sally Field and director
Hal Needham, it's the story of an aging stunt man who must cope with both a younger rival and his own body's limitations. It's interesting for its look inside the world of the Hollywood stuntman, but overall it lacks any kind of cohesiveness. Field is completely wasted, although she had yet to become a top-tier Academy-recognized actress at this point, and the excellent
Brian Keith also seems to just be filling space here.
Jan-Michael Vincent is very good as the younger stuntman and the film does manage to involve some drama along with it's good ol' boy antics, but unfortunately it appeals only to those who would be impressed with a film on that level, namely kids and die-hard
Burt Reynolds fans. The only truly memorable performance is turned in by
Robert Klein as the movie-within-the-movie's dictatorial director. ~ Dan Friedman, All Movie Guide