The End (1978)

People are voting emotionally.

Best movie ever!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

This is an extremely funny movie. The humor is timeless; easily transcending it's 1970's origin. Burt Reynolds plays Sonny Lawson, a divorced and shady real estate salesman. The movie opens with Sonny being told he has a fatal blood disease and a two month to one year life expectancy.The humorous tone of the film is set early in the exchange between Sonny and his doctor, played wonderfully dryly by Norman Fell. Sonny is, to put it mildly, shallow. Not exactly evil and certainly not good, Sonny is an aging hedonist whose only truly valuable contribution to life is his daughter Julie. Still, even with all the limitations of his character, Sonny tries to get around The End. The bulk of the movie involves Sonny's attempts to weasel out of his inevitable End. Burt Reynolds plays Sonny with just the right blend of whine and bravado. The results are hilarious. Characters come and go throughout the movie. All of them are as shallow as Sonny and hence cannot be of any help. Robbie Benson is hilarious as Father Dave and Sally Field is wonderful as the free spirit or as we say now 'new age' love interest. A truly exceptional performance however comes from Burt's co-star Dom DeLuise. I think that Dom deserved an academy nomination for his brilliant performance as the psychiatric patient Marlon Borunki. His character is a blend of gentle self deprecating humor and maniacal danger and he is the man to watch in every scene he's in. His instant changing of mood, voice and emotion is simply brilliant. There are some movies which provide a catch-phrase that you can use in real life. I never did relate too much to Arnie's "I'll Be Back" line but one which has made it into my personal use is Dom's rather strangled version of "I Understand". Watch 'The End' and you too will understand.

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 Reynolds throws himself in front of and behind the camera in this 1978 gem of a comedy. Not the best comedy that year, but far from the worse. Reynolds may have bit off more than he could chew by directing and acting all in one, but the final product was funny enough for cinemas. Still, without Dom DeLuise, this movie would be far from watchable. It is DeLuise that saves this movie. At sometimes dark, The End mixes mild comedy which delivers this Woody Allen (who wrote the original script) type story. DeLuise is nothing but brilliant as the lovable, yet crazy friend of Reynolds. This movie is nothing but fun. Not the best movie, but a nice story with an interesting cast of characters.

Funny in a dark sort of way. I like the ending, and Burt Reynolds is funny in a sick way. This film is dated, and looks very 70's. The material is older, but still has some laughs. I caught about a quarter of it, after not seeing it for 10 years, and found it ok, but it depend what mood I am in when I watch it. I would watch it again on TBS but probably chanel surf at the same time. 6/10