Stick

With Burt Reynolds making the rounds lately promoting his new film The Last Movie Star, I thought it would be a good time to revisit a film of his that I enjoyed back in the day, but was a critical and box office bomb, 1985's Stick.

Reynolds stars, and also directs, in the title role as a recently paroled convict who is offered a job by a buddy of his from prison to be a bagman. The drop however takes a nasty turn and his friend gets murdered. Stick decides that revenge is his best route and goes after the drug kingpin, Charles Durning, responsible.

This was based off a novel by Elmore Leonard, who absolutely hated this film. In Reynolds defense however, he was forced to reshoot the film and add story elements that weren't in the book.

Reynolds assembled a great supporting cast that includes George Segal, who adds some comic relief as a billionaire who hires Stick because of his fascination with the criminal element. The great Candice Bergen also appears as Stick's love interest. Sadly her role is underwritten and doesn't give her much to work with. Durning turns in a weasely, and strange, performance as the drug lord. Even his look is strange. He looks like an even heavier Donald Trump. Even stranger looking is stuntman Dar Robinson, as an albino hitman out to get Stick. This was Robinson's only acting gig and he is truly menacing in his performance. He also performs one of the most badass stunts I have ever seen. I don't want to give anything away since it's near the end of the flick, but it is a full on macho move.

Stick is a solid actioneer that deserves a second chance.

It's available on dvd.