A different way of telling a story

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Not very good. Just because a movie deals with death in a supposedly funny manner, does not make it a black comedy. It would have to be a lot bleaker and MUCH MUCH MUCH funnier than THE END. It seems to want to be better than it is with Burt Reynolds trying mightily to be shockingly funny as a dying man with a death wish, but the movie is simply a waste of a lot of talent. People like Joanne Woodward, Sally Field, Robby Benson(!), and others pop up to act appalled at Reynolds predicament and his plan to knock himself off. Dom DeLuise (who has been very funny for Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder in a few films) is the wacky mental patient tasked with helping Reynolds. Someone told him that shrieking a lot and donning wild hair equals funny. It doesn't! Reynolds clearly thought of himself as a capable comic actor and from time to time (THE LONGEST YARD, SEMI-TOUGH), he succeeded, but mostly his comedies were lame-brained train wrecks that managed to make tons of money...where THE END falls is anyone's guess. Also with Pat O'Brien and Myrna Loy!

Up there with Groundhog Day for philoso-comedy. Carl Reiner makes every second count. Dom is desperately lovable. Sally shows she can act. And Burt is at his understated best. Unfortunately for Burt, he was 25 years too early with this now timely reflection on death and dying -- boomers did not want to be worried about death in 1978. Now that we are beginning to realize that we too are mortal, this movie should get the appreciation it deserves. Those of you who are turned off by movies dealing with ethical and personal dilemmas won't like this movie. You would think that with all the attention paid to the ethics of extending life and assisted suicide that this movie would be required viewing for the right AND left. I am convinced the Burt will be remembered because of this movie. Death be not proud.

Burt Reynold is not without some talents. He's not a bad actor and he certainly has a certain screen presence. However, it is movies like this, I believe, as well as "Gator" (also directed by him) that diluted whatever wide appeal he had and put him in the "has been" category for a long time. I am glad, BTW, that he has found some good parts in recent years to showcase his talent."The End" is just not funny. It's tedious and silly. The dialog is dumb. I was hoping for a redeeming quality in the form of a supposedly stellar cast. What a disappointment.Skip it.

Everyone remembers this one, esp the scene at the loony bin window where Dom Delouise is hellbent of finishing Burt off, Burt has second thoughts about plummetting to his death, and so on. That alone is great. Kirsty McNichols was also very good too. (I was too young when I saw it to appreciate the presence of Myrna Loy and Joanne Woodward, and so I do look forwards to seeing it again in fact)I also can remember seeing David Steinberg doing his whacked out shrink routine-'Get off of me!', etc. too. He is kinda forgotten now but a funny guy nonetheless.So yeah, I do recommend this to anyone who wants to see an underrated Reynolds flick, it really is pretty good.***