Review of Stay Hungry (1976) by Harry W — 30 Jul 2013

Stay Hungry was a film I heard about due to reading that Arnold Schwarzenegger won a Golden Globe for his role in the film, and predominantly I haven't seen him outside of action films and crappy comedies, so this was something I had to witness. And with Jeff Bridges and Sally Field in it I figured it was all a big win, so looking into it seemed like a good idea.

And frankly it was. It's pacing was unbalanced and it attempted to fit in a few to many themes for its own good without ever really clarifying the meaning behind the title, but Bob Rafelson gave a good treatment to the story which ensured that it became a film which strongly conveyed the sport of bodybuilding in a positive manner, as well as taking a look at the carefree side of a life of sport. His direction made it a strong film and a good look at dedication in gym life, as well as a complex romantic drama. And above all it had some moments of fun humour in it which was the fun part of the story. It was well scripted too, even as it chartered into a large amount of dynamics building up on each other.

But it's the cast that makes it work.

Craig Blake starts as a character living a carefree life and he develops through the story into one who channels it into a passion he develops for helping Joe Santo achieve his goal and gracing his affection unto Mary Tate Farnsworth. Jeff Bridges conveys the development well and is frankly just a very likeable lead.

Instantly when Sally Field graced the screen I felt like this was a woman I had never seen before. With significantly more tan skin than usual combined with an alternative haircut to her usual look and a purple leotard, it seemed like Sally Field was truly attempting to establish herself as a character actress early on. It would prove successful for her because although being typecast as The Flying Nun, she manages to channel her free spirit into a serious role which proves to be a good one for her assisted by a strong performance. She's just such a sweet and likeable character in Stay Hungry, and so she stands out in the cast.

Of course, Arnold Schwarzenneger is the man who made a breakthrough with Stay Hungry. Although his part was small, he manages to act through his thick Austrian accent for the first time on screen and proves to viewers that he's a talented actor who fits into the subject matter requiring his muscles very well.

So Stay Hungry is heavy handed on its many plot dynamics, but its well acted and well intentioned so it succeeds in being a good sports film.