Stroker Ace - Movie Review
I just watched Stroker Ace again for the first time in years.
NASCAR driver Stroker Ace is a fan favorite who is a bit arrogant and not that concerned with the business side of racing. He can't even be bothered to get the name of his sponsor right. Even after the sponsor has warned Stroker about his behavior, Stroker still goes and dumps cement on him. That leaves Stroker without a sponsor just as the race season is beginning, which annoys his head mechanic, Lugs Harvey.
Clyde Torkel owns a chain of chicken restaurants, The Chicken Pit, and he's looking for a driver to sponsor as a way to get more publicity for his restaurants. After a quick talk, Stroker decides to sign with Clyde, not bothering to read the extensive contract. Stroker comes to regret that when he learns that he has to make appearances at openings of restaurants, make commercials, and even dress up in a chicken outfit. Pembrook Feeny, Clyde's director of marketing, spends a lot of time with Stroker and Lugs, going to the various public appearances and races. Stroker starts plotting how to get out of the contract.
Stroker Ace is based on a book, Stand On It, by Robert K. Ottum and William Neely. I don't remember noticing that the movie was based on a book before seeing the movie this time. The book is fiction, written like it is a biography of a driver named Stroker Ace. I have no idea what has been changed from the book, though I'm guessing some stuff has been changed or removed. The plot isn't that strong, though it manages to be entertaining for the most part.
Racing is very important to what is going on throughout Stroker Ace. Bits of several different races are shown. According to some things I've read since watching the movie this last time, scenes were filmed at three or four different race tracks. Several real NASCAR drivers are at least briefly shown in the movie. The racing scenes look realistic. It does look like some of the race footage has been taken from footage of actual races. The picture quality of those shots doesn't look the same as the rest of the movie.
The scenes set during different races do add a bit of action to Stroker Ace. Only short portions of the races are shown, which is plenty for me. Watching people drive in a big circle just isn't that entertaining or exciting to me. For most of the races shown, there is some kind of crash or car malfunction shown. Those things do help to keep what is going on interesting. One or two other things that happen add a little more action. This is not an action packed movie, even with the race scenes, which might upset some viewers.
For most of the movie, Stroker is trying to figure a way out of his contract with Clyde. At first, he thinks it will be easy to get out of, but then Lugs consults more than one lawyer and finds out there are no loopholes in the massive contract. All kinds of things are covered in it, including how Stroker has to make appearances for the restaurants and even dress in a chicken suit. Some of what Stroker has to do as part of his contract does add some humor to what is going on. Most of what is done for humor is more silly than anything, so it won't appeal to some viewers. Things are humorous, but the movie isn't as funny as I think it was intended to be. Burt Reynolds in a chicken suit is rather funny though.
It doesn't take long for it to be established that Stroker is a ladies man. It seems like he has his way with a different woman in every city he goes to for a race, though nothing specific is shown. He is interested in Pembrook the first times he sees her at a race track. He gets an eye full when some mechanics blow her skirt up. The first time she and Clyde share a scene, it is clear that he only hired her with hopes of getting her into bed. He's not happy when she makes it clear that she isn't that type of woman. Stroker also wants her in bed and he is dumbfounded when she says she is a virgin. He is a bit sneaky in his attempts to get her to have sex. He and Pembrook are affectionate with each other, though not much of anything is shown. Pembrook does show off a lot of cleavage thanks to her rather low cut dresses and shirts. Her underwear is even shown a few times. That is it for any sexual content. The movie is rated PG, but there are a few things that parents may not want their kids to see.
None of the characters have much development or depth. Stroker is just an arrogant guy who loves the fame he has. Most of the time he can't even be bothered to learn people's names. That may have been intended to be funny, but it just makes him look like a jerk. Stroker is very self absorbed for most of the movie. He does start to change his attitude about a few things, but it seems like a superficial change. Burt Reynolds is fine in the part, though nothing special. Lugs, Stroker's head mechanic, is frequently around. He seems nice enough, but there really isn't anything to the character, so Jim Nabors doesn't really have that much to do.
Pembrook is the very attractive woman working for Clyde. She is supposed to be in charge of marketing, but with how the character is written, she doesn't seem smart enough for that. She talks with this sort of high, breathless voice that just makes her seem like a complete air head. Loni Anderson is fine in the part. Clyde is basically a jerk who only cares about selling more chicken. He is the main villain of the movie. Ned Beatty is all right, but nothing special in the part. Bubba Smith plays Arnold, Clyde's driver. Parker Stevenson is in a few scenes as Aubrey James, another driver who has it out for Stroker for some reason. That isn't explained well enough, so it didn't make much sense.
The movie use to turn up on television every so often. It has been several years since the last time I saw it on anywhere. While Stroker Ace has problems and isn't a great movie, it still manages to be somewhat entertaining. I have seen worse movies. Fans of Burt Reynolds might find something to enjoy about the movie. Some people aren't going to care for this one at all. I would say this is really only a movie for fans of Reynolds.