So much average

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Multi-Layered, Complex, Frantic and Gonzo Filmmaking from Director Richard Rush. This is a Bizarre Belt in the Face to Unsuspecting Movie Watchers and is one of those Cult Movies that is Lost Somewhere Out There Waiting to be Discovered, Rediscovered, Loved, Hated and Awed at from Numerous Perspectives and Strong Opinions Either Way, will No Doubt be Debated as Long as there are Movies, Critics, and Fans of the Art Form.It is so Different and Requires One to Pay Attention and Think and has so much to Say that it can be an Exhausting Experience as much as an Entertainment. It Never Pretends to be or Ever was a Mainstream Movie, it is just too Strange. The Studio Saw this and was Apprehensive at Best and Determined at Least to let it set on the Shelf for Two Years after it was made.Their Bottom Line Instincts were Correct because No One went to See it, but it did Attain Attention from Critics, Film-Buffs, and Eggheads and Managed (no small feat) to Acquire Three Oscar Nominations, Director, Screenplay, and Peter O'Toole for Best Actor.The Other Lead Performance was not as Endearing as Steve Railsback is Unconvincing, Over the Top, and more Irritating than Not in a Difficult Role that is one of the Films Strong Shortcomings. There aren't Many. With Barbara Hershey Pretty Good, but Nothing Special and a Hit and Miss Supporting Cast.But it is the Movie Making in a Movie about Movie Making and the Symbolic, Rich Script, and Stunning Stunts that Propel this to its Lofty Heights where the Devil Comes From.

I love movies about movies and The Stunt Man is a very entertaining addition to that sub-genre. I had the misconception that Peter O'Toole was the protagonist (given his nomination), but instead he plays the eccentric director who drives the real protagonist's story. He's definitely the highlight of the film and his character holds the whole movie together. Getting actors in the moment is something I've learned recently and the film is entirely about this director's struggle to get his actors in the moment. It's a concept that's fascinating to watch. With its blend of genres of action, comedy, romance and thriller, it can end up a muddle, especially with things I can't tell are plot holes or not. This mixture in tone gets to a point where its repetitive score is either a blessing or irritating depending on the scene. Unfortunately the film is let down by its lead character and performance who is ironically rarely believable and too bland to be relatable. But the film does have that 70s aesthetic of excess and grain borrowed from All That Jazz that I love.7/10

This film works tremendously on all levels. It is a highly intelligent story about what is or is not real, while at the same time it is a fast-moving and spectacular stuntfest, with much clever and funny dialogue. Steve Railsback plays Cameron, who pretends to be a deceased stuntman who was a stand-in for an actor playing a First World War pilot. So one man (Railsback) is playing another (Cameron) playing another (deceased stuntman) playing another (actor in WW1 film) playing another (WW1 pilot): no wonder that in the world of the film set Cameron has trouble working out what is or not real! I have seen this film probably ten times, and every time I see something I missed before. It is absolutely enthralling, and though it has always had good reviews, it somehow always gets missed when lists of all-time great films are compiled. It is one of those movies which has many fans, and I always recommend it as a must-see, but most people just don't seem to 'get' this film, so it has not got as much recognition as it deserves.

Right from the opening it had me taken in. The music, the shots, the action.The whole film is so taut, everything is so finely honed. It's a film about films, so it can't get away with any sloppiness. And it doesn't, it's perfect.The human side of it is touching, with the love story and the personal conflicts etc ... but the best part is the "tricks" this film plays, on its characters, but also on the audience. With Peter O'Toole as the great puppet-master, hovering in and out of shots dangling from a crane like the God he emulates.The 'stunt' sequences are legendary. I have purchased this film and it will be watched many times. To be honest I'm surprised that it has gone out of mass consumption, even after 27 years.Watch it. It ROCKS.