Review of Personal Best (1982) by J M — 09 Oct 2009

The Brokeback Mountian of the early 80's.

Robert Towne has written and/or contributed to a great many of classic works of cinema. He writes and directs this piece that is, for a movie about track and field, deadly slow. If you are interested in seeing a movie filled with wall-to-wall bad acting, Mariel Hemmingway's gargantuan caterpillar eyebrows, gratuitious athletic nudity (including one scene with Hemmingway helping a guy pee!)...maybe this film is for you. I will say that the race cinematography is breathtaking (bordering on pornographic) in its depiction of muscle contraction and beads of sweat clinging to a body.