While surfing the many cable channels I chanced upon "The Last Movie Star" on The Movie Channel. It was one of Burt Reynolds's last films. And it was memorable.
But back to "The Last Movie Star." Reynolds stars as Vic Edwards, an aging actor who is persuaded by his friend Sonny, played by Chevy Chase, to go to Nashville to receive a lifetime achievement award from the local film festival. He discovers it's a low-budget operation that's run by dedicated movie lovers.
It turns into a journey of self-discovery as Edwards comes to terms with his past glory and present situation. He takes a side trip to Knoxville, where he reflects on pre-movie days while seeing his childhood home, walking across the football field at Neyland Stadium where he was a star at the University of Tennessee, and seeking to find an old girlfriend at a nursing home.
The Adam Rifkin-directed movie (originally titled "Dog Years") was released in February 2018, six months before Reynolds's death at 82. It's a touching film on several levels, from Edwards's coming to terms with his life to the film festival's organizers who withstand his initial verbal abuse.
Another reason I enjoyed the film is that it was an honest depiction of aging. Reynolds wasn't dressed up to look like a hunky octogenarian. He used a cane, his bushy eyebrows weren't trimmed, and he took numerous meds. It was to Reynolds's credit that he played the role "as is."
The film features flashbacks to "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Deliverance," so there's bound to be some who see a parallel between lead character and Reynolds.
Besides Chase, the movie features a strong supporting cast including Ariel Winter, Clark Duke, Al-Jaleel Knox, Ellar Coltrane, and Kathleen Nolan (remember her from "The Real McCoys?")
Click here to see a trailer from the movie.
Until the next time . . .
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