Review of Smokey and the Bandit (1977) by Wes S — 24 Mar 2012

I can't even begin to sit here and defend this movie. Like a lot of people, I grew up watching this movie on TV and VHS. It's definitely not a masterpiece, but yet, it is on its own terms (especially when you look at the bile-inducing sequels).

Smokey and the Bandit is, to me at least, the greatest guilty pleasure of all time. Anyone that says that they hate this movie and they mean it, well I don't try to continue having a conversation with them.

This is just pure fun, and that's all there really is to it. The plot is full of holes, the sound work is full of obvious overdubs and the performances aren't all that great at times. The one performance that still stands out to this day is Jackie Gleason's Buford T.

Justice, which he should've been nominated for an Oscar for. I'm not quite sure why this movie's appeal has lasted over the course of the last 35 years, but one thing's for sure: this will continue to be watched on late night TV until the end of the world.