cult film freak: BURT REYNOLDS AND KRIS KRISTOFFERSON ARE 'SEMI-TOUGH'

Burt Reynolds in SEMI-TOUGH Year: 1977 Rating: ***

Having been a college football star before an injury leading to acting lessons, football became Burt Reynolds' Rosebud... and the second mainstream football flick for Burt Reynolds isn't as gritty as THE LONGEST YARD, which took place in prison involving prisoners vs guards...

But SEMI-TOUGH centers on a professional team where the most famous and beloved players, odd couple Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson (flanked by muscular loon Brian Dennehy and a stable Roger E. Mosely), hardly compete on the field but, as a romantic comedy, seek a relationship with the team owner's progressive daughter, Jill Clayburgh...

Burt Reynolds in SEMI-TOUGH and Mary Jo Catlett

The first of two giant problems is the horrendous miscasting of the ingenue, looking more like a random substitute teacher than a woman two sex symbols would give up their womanizing freedom for... and second's the fact Kristofferson, technically the best suitor and her fiance through most of the picture, becomes a selfish New Age flake, making the turnout of Burt's maverick winning-out too predictable, far too soon...

Although as a chance to enjoy the extremely enjoyable mustached star embracing the comedy chops he garnered the same year as the game-changing SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, it's not a bad little feature to sit through: in particular Burt's bizarre, longshot dare to conquer overweight Mary Jo Catlett, and then a grueling EST seminar where he surreptitiously gets the upper hand, which could've been a story all its own — one that needed way more sport (especially with THE BAD NEWS BEARS and DOWNHILL RACER director Michael Ritchie at the helm) and a little less... play.