Short Attention Span Review: The Last American Hero (1973)

Short Attention Span Review: The Last American Hero (1973)

The Last American Hero is a plucky movie, much like its hero.  It is determined to win the race, but it doesn't try to earn points for likability.  Those expecting a warm and fuzzy sports movie where we root for a promising upstart and cheer his eventual success may be a bit puzzled by this one.  Yes, it is about a promising upstart, and the movie does conclude with Jeff Bridges finally capturing the checkered flag as Junior Jackson.  Yet Jackson (closely modeled after famed stock car racer Junior Johnson) isn't the warm and fuzzy type, and his win at all costs attitude and his take no shit demeanor are front and center while he begrudgingly offers up a few displays of innocence and good old boy charm.  The filmmaking is authentic and invigorating; this looks and feels like the real thing, whether we're watching Jackson's early days running moonshine or his initial forays into auto racing.  In addition to Bridges, who clearly had the makings of a star at this age, we get to see young Gary Busey shine and marvel at B movie legend William Smith, who damn near steals the show in what almost amounts to a bit part.  Smith plays the antagonist, who is modeled after Richard Petty and is depicted as both formidable and vulnerable, and far too damn likable in spite of any flaws to be anything but a friendly rival.  The movie speeds along, and while it takes us on a journey and fleshes out its characters, it just doesn't seem as satisfying as it should be.  Maybe that is because Junior is so country tough and good old-fashioned stubborn that none of the various pitfalls he encounters shake him.  Maybe it's because he is so damn determined to force his way into victory lane that neither he nor we get much of a chance to savor his successes.  Maybe it's both.  And, while that may not make for a cinematic experience a la Rocky or  Rudy, it does ring true, and one is inclined to believe that this motion picture adequately conveys Tom Wolfe's writings about Junior Johnson.  So, while it may not exactly lift your spirits, The Last American Hero is an insightful and captivating film, and it is surely worth a watch.

Final Grade: B

A young Jeff Bridges displays star power in a lead role that is more about grit and determination than likability. 

Powerful Pages: Lightning in a Bottle by Monte Dutton (2017)

Powerful Pages: Lighting in a Bottle by Monte Dutton (2017)

Monte Dutton is a promising author who I consider a friend, a fellow outsider who is more interested in spinning an entertaining yarn and delivering readers a good time than assembling the necessary ingredients for whatever is en vogue within the industry this week.  He has a strong background writing pieces about Nascar, so it is no surprise that his adventures on the printed page finally brought him to a meditation on auto racing.  With Lightning in a Bottle, Dutton has conjured up precisely the type of driver his semi-fascist racing entity FASCAR needs--even if this frisky upstart also happens to be precisely the type of driver the powers that be are hoping to avoid.  Barrie Jarman is bold and ambitious, an "aw shucks" country boy whose easy-going demeanor masks a keen intellect.  A quick study with a quicker tongue, Barrie has a God-given ability to tear it up at the track--any track.  He's also fiercely protective of his identity and his need to express himself, and going along to get along isn't one of his many skills.  His adventures on the racing circuit are the backbone of a brisk yarn that also concerns itself with family dynamics, the cost of success, the war against corporate tyranny, and a host of political issues.  If that sounds heavy, fear not, for Dutton's warm approach coupled with his light touch keep things moving and interesting at all times, and he never substitutes a sermon for a punchline.  His ear for dialogue and his racing IQ are on full display throughout, and one might argue that these are the books greatest strengths.  In terms of plotting and excitement, I can't identify any real flaws, but sometimes the broad strokes and rollicking pace work against the material.  There were numerous points where I wanted a closer examination of the various conflicts at play, and I also yearned to savor Barrie's triumphs a bit more.  However, I'm not willing to take Monte to task; I liked Barrie too much for that, and I laughed way too damn much to complain.  While Barrie's presence and drive are the beating heart of Lightning in a Bottle, I must admit that the narrator, his seen-it-all Uncle Charlie, quickly emerged as my favorite character.  Monte has captured lightning in a bottle with Barrie, no doubt about that, and I'm eager to read more about this hell-raising one-of-a-kind, but Uncle Charlie's grass roots philosophy dressed up as dry humor took the checkered flag in the race to my funny bone.  Fresh and captivating, Lightning in a Bottle is a quick read that will tickle and inspire you in equal measures.

Final Grade: A-