I love this movie so much

Simply A Masterpiece

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Burt Reynolds stars and dominates in the title role of Ernest 'Stick' Stickley, newly released from prison who immediately gets right back involved with criminal activities with old prison buddy Jose Perez. A decade later the incident where Perez is killed was almost done word for word in Al Pacino's Carlito's Way.Unlike Pacino however, Reynolds would like to stay clear of things, but he's got a score to settle over Perez. For a bit of cover and protection he takes a job with flamboyant movie producer George Segal who really overacts outrageously with tongue firmly in cheek. Still the people who did in his friend Perez who are drug dealers Castulo Guerra and Charles Durning are out to get Reynolds.You have to see Durning in his costume trying to wear those 80s fashions and looking rather stupid in the process.Fabled Hollywood stuntman Dar Robinson has a nice role as an albino hit man for Guerra. He's one scary dude. In fact for the screen's sake he dies twice. I thought Reynolds had done him in once, but he was back and the second time there was no doubt.Guerra's character proves there's less than meets the eye with him. You'll have to see the climax to know what I'm talking about. And that hairpiece, send him to Queer Eye for maybe the not so straight guy.Reynolds has a few cynically comic moments, but he's a lot more grim here than usual. Due to the subject matter no doubt.Burt's fans will like it, so should others.

Just saw this last night for the first time ever and it really brought back memories of South Florida in the early to mid eighties. The same memories when I saw Paul Newman's "Harry & Son" also filmed nearby in Fort Lauderdale. The soundtrack in "Stick" is the precursor for "Miami Vice" the series. Once Burt shaves off the bear he even conveys that Sonny Crockett feel and hey! he's rooming w/ his own black buddy. The Grove Tower condo building is the one and same used in the classic 80's Wham! music video with the closing shot being George Michael standing on the top-floor balcony lamenting his lost love (or something).Having lived in Miami during the filming of "Stick" there are some funny lapses I noticed like when the Albino follows Burt as they drive East on the causeway, but then they're at Miami Jai-Alai which is located West of the causeway. Or earlier in the movie when Burt and his Boricua friend drive to meet Moxie one second they're at Nurty's in Fort Liquordale and then the next second in Coconut Grove (the two places are twenty-five miles apart). Regarding the movie: it's story is all right, nothing ground-breaking, but a good Elmore Leonard expose of the assorted types dealing drugs and living large in the 1980's South Florida.It's a shame George Segal wasn't part of a last act twist, but the villain Burt goes up against was pretty creepy himself. The character of Stick's daughter Katie could have had some impact in the last scenes, but she wasn't written that way. Durning as Moxie is a hoot! The red eyebrows and red wig are too funny! The rest of the Spanish-speaking cast gives good support to the story and a strong sense of "place." Burt's direction is seamless and professional. Trivia note: in 1989 BOTH George Segal and Candice Bergen premiered new series on TV. Segal's was "Murphy's Law" and if you blink you missed it. Bergen's ... well, if you don't remember the iconic status her protagonist reached during the '92 presidential race (courtesy of Dan Quayle) then you must have blinked for eight years worth of time.

I know that many people have mixed feelings about this story. Once I saw a comedian on the cable comedy channel using 'stick' to slam in his act, of the worst Burt Reynolds movies ever. But I contend, even so with Burt at the helm of this 'ship', that the story was told by a master at story creating and telling. He (Leonard) has not liked almost all the adaptations to the screen from his books with the exception of 'Get Shorty' which, well...how do you beat that one??? At any rate, the story I liked, there was enough to keep me 'into it'. Even though I like a lot of different movies, I don't like every movie I see. This was a right-cut for Burt Reynolds I thought. He pulled the character off, in the manner in which he does, in 'waves'. He's had mono-tone performances and out and out wild ones too. Whatever the critics think or say, there was a great cast and the location was perfect as well. I can live with this Burt-directed story from 1985, heck why not, it was the eighties.

This movie is based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name, but for those looking for the novel while waiting for the movie to reappear on television or on order from Amazon, don't bother, unless you're a fan of Elmore Leonard's work. While Mr. Leonard should be given more than due credit for his adaptation to movie, the real work was done by Mr. Reynolds, who plays the character true to form.I have to admit that one reason I love this film is because of its leading lady. Ms. Bergen seems to be able to play her own character in this film, rather than playing off Burt's character. Two of the best scenes are the one where she sums up the movie producer's porposal as fraud, and of course the intimate scene in her bedroom with Burt's character.I am old enough to remember when this movie came out in the theaters. One review in a popular men's magazine at the time panned the movie, largely faulting Burt's performance (as I interpreted the review). Having been a fan of Mr. Reynolds films for many years, I was glad to see that he didn't seem to take such reviews to heart at the time, and continues to entertain us, even today.