← Back to Reviews
in
#25 - Every Which Way But Loose
James Fargo, 1978
A trucker (Clint Eastwood) falls for a country singer (Sondra Locke). When she leaves town, he embarks on a road trip in order to win her back.
Better known as "that movie with Clint Eastwood and the orangutang", this is a decidedly mediocre excuse for a comedy, even one that doesn't aim particularly high. The performances are generally serviceable, though the members of the biker gang that Eastwood antagonises are too irritating to even be entertaining when they get screwed over by Eastwood. Though Eastwood does a good job of sounding laid-back and deadpan, the show is stolen by Ruth Gordon as the cantankerous mother of his best friend (Geoffrey Lewis) and, of course, Clyde the orangutang. Clyde is as good a reason as any to watch this movie, performing antics such as flipping people off or drinking beers. Aside from that, the jokes aren't much chop. It's a very basic road-trip comedy that does last way longer than it needs to settles into a pattern of having Clyde do something funny or having one of Eastwood's many enemies try to get revenge on him - and, of course, Eastwood getting into fights.
One thing that did stand out to me about the film was the reveal that
For the most part, though, Every Which Way But Loose is a very underwhelming bit of slapstick. Having an orangutang does it make it stand out, but that (and the stuff covered in the spoiler space) are the only things that make it really stand out.
James Fargo, 1978
A trucker (Clint Eastwood) falls for a country singer (Sondra Locke). When she leaves town, he embarks on a road trip in order to win her back.
Better known as "that movie with Clint Eastwood and the orangutang", this is a decidedly mediocre excuse for a comedy, even one that doesn't aim particularly high. The performances are generally serviceable, though the members of the biker gang that Eastwood antagonises are too irritating to even be entertaining when they get screwed over by Eastwood. Though Eastwood does a good job of sounding laid-back and deadpan, the show is stolen by Ruth Gordon as the cantankerous mother of his best friend (Geoffrey Lewis) and, of course, Clyde the orangutang. Clyde is as good a reason as any to watch this movie, performing antics such as flipping people off or drinking beers. Aside from that, the jokes aren't much chop. It's a very basic road-trip comedy that does last way longer than it needs to settles into a pattern of having Clyde do something funny or having one of Eastwood's many enemies try to get revenge on him - and, of course, Eastwood getting into fights.
One thing that did stand out to me about the film was the reveal that
WARNING: "Every Which Way But Loose" spoilers below
Sondra Locke's character actually doesn't care about Eastwood's character and is shocked to discover he's gone through all this trouble just to follow her. I thought that was a good twist and actually worked better in the context of this film than a sappy reunion would've worked. It also makes sense how it plays into Eastwood throwing the final fight of the movie.
For the most part, though, Every Which Way But Loose is a very underwhelming bit of slapstick. Having an orangutang does it make it stand out, but that (and the stuff covered in the spoiler space) are the only things that make it really stand out.