Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws (1978) User Reviews

They Won't quit Until They Make It (Sketchy Spoilers)

[WSAP1303 · 6/10 · 8 February 2005]

This may be sketchy but I recall the movie to be inspiring and well worth a look. Two guys come to Nashville and try to make it on the country music scene. Their vision is to play at the Grand IL' Opry. Rejection after rejection pushes them to the verge of quitting and moving back to wherever they came from. Finally they hatch a plan to sneak into the Grand IL Opry during a performance and WOW the audience with their music. I won't give the ending away. From what I can see, this one might be found in the used VHS bin at a second hand store or at a garage sale. So if you find it, hand over the 50 cent and watch it! It wasn't too bad.

Country and western enterprise

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 7 July 2018]

SMOKEY AND THE GOOD TIME OUTLAWS isn't a Burt Reynolds film, nor does it have anything to do with car chases; that title is a misnomer. Instead, it's a bland human drama and light comedy about a couple of "good ol' boys" who decide to try and make it as country and western singers. The film follows their progress as they visit pawn shops and try to make ends meet, and there's plenty of music for those into that kind of thing. The main thing I was surprised about was the quality of the cinematography; I saw this in high definition on Amazon Prime and it looks amazing; it's a pity the story is so slight.

NICE TRY - WITH A FEW MORE LAUGHS IT WOULD HAVE WORKED.

[mikecanmaybee · 3/10 · 23 May 2021]

J. D.(Jesse Turner) and his dim witted buddy The Salt Flat Kid (Dennis Fimple) are off to Nashville and determined to make it to the GRAND OL OPRY. J. D. Is a poor man's version of Burt Reynolds and does a pretty good job while being hindered by a mustache that would make a 70's Porn Star blush, and a haircut or wig that was quite distracting. Dennis Fimple gave his usual fine performance as The Salt Flat Kid, but he was about fifteen years too old to play the wide eyed country boy. Along the way they rescue a couple of damsel's in distress Sandy (Dianne Sherrill) and Linda (Marcie Barkin) who were both void of any personality and not well directed by (Alexander Grasshoff). The boy's due to no fault of there own get on the wrong side of Sheriff Lady (Slim Pickens) and his doofus nephew Arthur (Gailard Sartain) who almost make the film worth a watch. The film moves right along and sets up well for comedy however there are no real laughs with a couple of chuckles provided by Slim berating his hapless nephew as the rare exception. Smokey reminded me of a modern film "Irresistible" which also set up well but did not delivered hardly a laugh. It's too bad with the likable fellows interacting with fine character actors including under used (Archie Campbell) as agent Tyrone Sullivan, and The pawn shop owner with a heat of gold, yeah right, Mr. Friedman (Don Sherman). If Writer and Producer Jesse Turner would have had a little help tying up the many loose ends with a rewrite and a better directing job we would have had a winner. As it is it's not terrible except for J. D.'s over the top dance moves which were too embarrassing to be funny.