A good comedy action film about Hollywood stuntmen, with Burt Reynolds at his macho best in a good supporting cast surrounding him. Sally Fields really has a little to do as his girlfriend and the daughter of his mentor, aging retired stuntman Brian Keith. Her involvement in the film just has her worried about Burt and Brian throughout the film with a big scene telling Bert that she is going to walk out on him if he does is done that may risk his life. He's basically beyond his prime as a stuntman, and one big fall could either make him a paraplegic or kill him. Along Comes Jan-Michael Vincent no, the new stuntman on the lot, and Burt beomes his mentor.

Keith gives the best performance in the film, really showing that he has what it takes when the boys get into a barroom brawl, and James Best from "The Dukes of Hazard" is equally good. There was also an amazing cameo by Adam West at the beginning of the film, playing himself, the star of the film that Burt is a stuntman on. There are lots of montages of the various stunts that Burt has done, car chases through the backlot sceneries including Westerns where there would not be any modern vehicles.

The final big stump is the highlight of the film, a re-creation of an earthquake that is supposed to topple the city. It's a likable film, consistently entertaining, and better certainly than films Burt starred in like the "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Cannonball Run" series. This was a smash hit but not what Warner Brothers expected, and perhaps a sign that Hollywood studios shouldn't overestimate what they think a film is going to make and just publicize it to the best of their ability and let the public decide.

Burt Reynolds is at his rollicking best as devil may care stuntman Hooper who's beginning to feel his age. The hot breath of competition in the person of Jan-Michael Vincent is breathing down his neck. Reynolds prizes the fact that he's the best in the business, but it's a young man game that demands a young man's reflexes.

Brian Keith knows how Reynolds feels, Reynolds dethroned him as number one and Reynolds keeps company with Keith's daughter Sally Field who would dearly love it if both of the men in her life would just get out of that rough business.

Hooper has little plot to it, it's a character study of the people who go into that line of work and a touch of insanity seems to be a needed ingredient for success. The title role is something that fits Reynolds like a made to measure suit

John Marley is in the cast as your stereotypical ulcer ridden producer and Robert Klein has a great part as a truly obnoxious director, one of his early good ones. And of course the stunt work stands out on its own as well as being an integral part of the plot.

Hooper even got an Oscar nomination in the Sound category. A definite must for Burt Reynolds fans.

This is an easy going, light hearted comedy drama that Burt Reynolds effortlessly churned out in the 1970s.

Nothing much to tax your brain and plenty of stunts to keep his fans happy. The film is loosely based on the experiences of director Hal Needham who used to be a stuntman himself and serves as a tribute to stunt-men everywhere.

Reynolds is a veteran Hollywood stuntman who works hard and plays harder but is spurred on to do better when a rival emerges (Jan Michael Vincent) who is fitter, takes better care of himself and younger.

The two become friends after a bar brawl but begin an escalating but friendly rivalry with the stunts becoming more and more spectacular and dangerous that climaxes in a rocket car stunt.

Sally Field pops up as Reynold's girlfriend. There is a roster of stolid supporting actors from Adam West, Brian Keith, John Marley, Robert Klein.

The film is easy going, charming and fun. The stunts keep the action moving. There is good chemistry between Vincent and Reynolds but its also easily forgettable like a lot of Reynold's output from that era.