SXSW 2016

The Bandit

2016 • Documentary • 82 minutes • 156 ratings • 39 reviews

Directed by Jesse Moss

Starring Paul Williams, Sonny Shroyer and Burt Reynolds

THE BANDIT is a film about 70s superstar Burt Reynolds, his best friend, roommate and stunt-double Hal Needham, and the making of their unlikely smash-hit SMOKEY & THE BANDIT. The film tells the action-packed story of the making of SMOKEY, while tracing the vivid personal journeys of Reynolds and Needham from obscurity to stardom and highlighting one of the most extraordinary relationships in Hollywood history. Featuring new interviews with Reynolds, rare archive material, including footage from Reynolds’ personal archive, as well as candid interviews with the late Hal Needham, the documentary tells an exhilarating and moving story about loyalty, friendship and creative risk.

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Reviews

  • ★★★★★ review by Jeremy Milks on Letterboxd

    Feels like I've been waiting for this doc a long, long time. Captures that era and relationship near perfectly. I just absolutely geeked out over this thing. I love these guys.

  • ★★★★ review by Matt ❌ on Letterboxd

    I really enjoyed this it's not just about Hal & Burt but about stunt men and women and how they were treated by Hollywood from the beginning. It also gives you a great look into how exactly the film got made and what went wrong and why. I would have given it 5 stars but it's missing interviews with Sally & Jerry.

  • ★★★★ review by Mark Carroll on Letterboxd

    In 1977, a lot of kids wanted to be luke sky walker.  A lot wanted to be Burt Reynolds too.

  • ★★★★ review by Gray Whitten on Letterboxd

    This kicked off a Burt Reynolds Mystery Movie Marathon at the Alamo Ritz in Austin. THE BANDIT started at 11am on a Sunday, and I had driven across from ATL for the event. This is very good doc with some touching and insightful footage and commentary on Hal, Burt, their relationship, and the making of SatB. Highly recommend catching this somehow if you didn't see it when it premiered on CMT.

  • ★★★½ review by FilmFrak Adam on Letterboxd

    Nothing more you could want from a SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT/ Needham-Reynolds BTS.

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