Directed by Daniel Petrie. Kenny Rogers was such a huge star, he made a movie. If you see this, you will understand how huge a star he must have been for people to go through with this absurd plan.
A few thoughts on this. First of all, by "huge star," Kenny brought some literal meaning to huge. The title "Six Pack" did not refer to the man's abs. If this movie had been made even five years later there were would have been tremendous pressure to lose a few pounds for the role. Though maybe he did. Maybe he was a colossal tub of lard before shooting started and he got pulled aside and ordered off the fried chicken. Either way, here he has a body type that could be said was probably personally identifiable among the core audience for this flick.
And believe me, there was an audience. On release, "Six Pack" grossed more than $20 million, which in 1982 bucks is damned decent. Though it might mark the moment when Hollywood cracked down on its stars to all develop eating disorders. There was a failed attempt to adapt "Six Pack" into a TV series, but Kenny's character was played by Don Johnson. Take that, Gambler.
The movie itself is unwatchable. By rights I really shouldn't be writing about it because I only made just past halfway. Part of the reason here is because it is so bad, but I also have to admit that after my initial excitement at learning that Diane Lane was in this, my spirit was crushed when she was unveiled to be just a child in '82. Erin Gray is in it too, who I can dig, but she really doesn't look special.
Gimme a break! Six Pack is the greatest Kenny Rogers movie of all-time, even better than The Gambler, and it's the 2nd-best DIANE LANE movie of all time - Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains, of course, being #1! Having a near-perfect cast, Six Pack touches up on a time before Nascar would become mainstream. As simple a role it may have been, Kenny Rogers SURELY held his own as Brewster Baker for someone who's forte is not acting. The movie also has plenty of heart (which is EVEN FURTHER enhanced by Charles Fox's music score). By steering the kids from their troubled ways by being there for them as a father figure, the 'six pack' in return made him change his wild, single ways by simply tagging along with him which basically makes this movie have a lesson/moral as well. That lesson?...."love will turn you around, turn, you around."
ReplyDeleteWatch the WHOLE movie, or better yet watch it more than once, before you write a review such as this one.