Sonny Hooper, Hollywood's greatest stuntman, deals with his relationship with the daughter of his mentor, a challenge from a young stuntman who idolizes him, and the egomaniacal director of his latest movie. He ultimately attempts to perform a record-breaking jump over a gorge in a rocket-propelled car.
Director Needham (an ex-stuntman himself) slips effortlessly into a lightweight satire of the movie biz and an almost Hawksian action-comedy of male-group professionalism.
Director Needham had graduated from being a stuntman to direct Smokey and the Bandit, but you would have to dig deep to find any great insight into the trade.
A highly entertaining tribute to Hollywood stuntmen. The best of the Burt Reynolds-Hal Needham collaborations.
Variety
March 26, 2009
Individually, the performances in this story of three generations of Hollywood stuntmen are a delight. And Hal Needham's direction and stunt staging are wonderfully crafted.
People have been mentioning Burt Reyolds and Clark Gable in the same breath for several years now. With Hooper, Reynolds has finally justified the camparison.
