Urban Cowboy (1980)

That was an excellent one.

I'll tell you why so serious

i must have seen a different film!!

Absolutely the worst movie.

Urban Cowboy is a decent movie, no more no less. The story wasn't exactly inspiring as I am reminded of Grease but with country music. But the plot that has been done a million times before is deemed watchable thanks to some solid acting performances particularly those of John Travolta and Debra Winger. The movie does show what it is like to live in the Texas heartland in the midst of a country music revolution. Maybe it is the clichés, but there are a lot of cowboy hats, bandanas, and line dancing involved. There are two things that stood out in the movie. The first thing is the rodeo scenes in the nightclub. That was probably the best part of the movie. Another thing I liked is the music. Maybe it is my Texas blood, but I caught myself tapping my toes to the songs. What is unique is the movie makes use of live music. Thank you, Charlie Daniels Band! The story is a simple, albeit clichéd story. James Bridges direct and wrote the film about a man named Bud Davis (John Travolta) who moves from the countryside to the city to be closer with his family. He takes a liking to one of the local joints, Gilley's. He takes a job at an oil refinery which is owned by his uncle in order to save for his own land. There is where he meets a cowgirl named Sissy (Debra Winger). Just like that, they fall in love and get married. Their marriage is tested when he catches a con man named Wes (Scott Glenn) teaching his wife how to ride the mechanical bull. Wes also wants to rob Gilley's. When a mechanical bull contest is announced, Bud is intent on saving his marriage.The performances are key to making this movie watchable as it is. John Travolta has been on an acting slump between Grease and this film, so it's nice to see him go back to his musical roots. He definitely still knows how to dance. Debra Winger is the breakout of the movie. In fact, she was nominated for Best New Star for this performance at the Golden Globes. She made a believable cowgirl. I think Scott Glenn is often under-appreciated as an actor and his performance is a good one.Urban Cowboy is a fine movie if not forgettable. The story is so-so, but the performances and the music are the highlights of the movie. If you want to see a movie about cowboy life in the Midwest in the early 80's, well this movie is for you.My Grade: C+

RELEASED IN 1980 and directed by James Bridges, "Urban Cowboy" is a drama starring John Travolta as mid-Texas young man who moves to Houston to work at the oil refineries. In his spare time he goes to the local Country bar where he meets babes (Debra Winger & Madolyn Smith) and rides the mechanical bull. Scott Glenn plays his rival while Barry Corbin & Brooke Alderson appear as his amiable uncle and aunt.It's overlong by at least 20 minutes and the alcohol-obsession & bed-hopping shenanigans get tedious, but I like the docudrama style. The film takes its time and successfully puts you in the C&W subculture. The plot's predictable, showing the best & worst in human behavior, yet leaves you with a good feeling. There's a likable simplicity and honesty to the people, despite their less savory sides (i.e. the alcohol/cigs & bed-hopping). The movie scores well on the female front, mostly of the tight jeans & t-shirt variety (naturally), fronted by Winger with her girl-next-door cuteness and followed by Smith with her drop-dead-gorgeous ambiance. Connie Hanson appears as the striking redhead. The final act features the Charlie Daniels Band and you can't go wrong with them.THE MOVIE RUNS 132 minutes and was shot in the Houston area of Texas (Dear Park, Pasadena & Huntsville) and Pico Rivera, California (Mobile home park). WRITERS: Bridges & Aaron Latham wrote the script based on Aaron Latham's story.GRADE: B/B- (6.5/10)

This movie is more of a cult classic film these days. I have to say it is a pretty good story and a movie that is sorely overlooked. This movie is more than just some country-western bar room flick - it actually has a good story. If you like a romantic drama then you should like this film.I will have to say that the soundtrack is pretty good and I actually like some of the songs played in this movie. I grew up with this soundtrack in the home - one of the few country-western vinyl albums in the house. So this movie brings back some personal teenage memories.If you liked Travolta in the classic films "Grease" or "Saturday Night Fever" then you might like "Urban Cowboy".I would rate the movie 7/10 but since I have personal memories attached I will rate the film: 8/10

James Bridges directs "Urban Cowboy", an attempt to cash in on John Badham's "Saturday Night Fever". Both films star John Travolta, though here he trades bell-bottoms, disco balls and dance floors for cowboy hats, mechanical bulls, pickup trucks and square dancing.For some reason, 1980s Hollywood saw a boom in films which romanticised blue-collar work. Here Travolta and his gang spend their days working hard with hardhats at oil refineries, before spending their well-earned nights dancing at local clubs or riding mechanical bulls. Travolta's love interest in the film is Sissy, played by Debra Winger, who "wants to be independent", much to the chagrin of Travolta who "doesn't think gals should behave that way". Sissy thus defiantly "rides a mechanical bull" in a "sexy manner" which "attracts men" and "makes Travolta angry". The couple then fight, break up and get back together. Much of the film consists of men spouting macho wisdom ("a man don't back down when things get tough"), proving their masculinity by riding mechanical bulls, dancing like cowboys or beating up women. Like many of the "urban cowboy flicks" of this era (see Eastwood's "Bronco Billy"), our cowboy hero thus spends most of his time, not beating Indians, but battering and attempting to tame uppity women. Interestingly, Travolta's a "cowboy" only when at his town's Western-themed dance halls and bars. Outside these establishments he's just a regular, blue collar worker. His masculinity is thus solely defined by what happens on the dance floor. When Sissy (her name a slur) encroaches on this, Travolta gets hilariously mad. Very literally, the film is about cowboys who, having lost their mythical Wild West to big oil companies, mega-corporations and stifling 9 to 5 routines, sublimate their resentment by battering and besting each other on mechanical bulls. When women start riding the bulls, the already fragile egos of these guys goes berserk.While there's ample material here for a look at working class frustrations and the dying of subcultures, the film misses the point of its own story and completely ignores the causes of all its flying fists...namely those big factories and the logic of the almighty dollar. For this whole 1980s, romanticized blue-collar movement done better in under 4 minutes, listen to Lennon's "Working Class Hero" a couple times.5/10 – Good ambiance and decor undermined by dumb plot. Worth one viewing.