Any Which Way You Can

release year: 1980
genre: comedy
viewing setting: home DVD, 10/6/12 and 6/6/03

synopsis: Brawler Philo Beddoe, along with all of his friends and foes, is back to take on the most dangerous fistfighter in the country.

impressions: Pretty entertaining to watch. Sure, it's a redneck bonanza, but there's a lot of subtle humor if you know where to look. I didn't care much for the ape jokes, the biker gang jokes, or the idiotic Sondra Locke romance angle, so for me the main attraction of this movie was the big fight at the end. It was worthy of comparison to the 15-minute brawl in They Live.

things to watch for: As I said, the fight between Philo and Jack Wilson after everyone thinks the fight's off.

something this movie has that no other movie has: A long fistfight that spans a mile or so and has a friendly beer break in the middle.

acting: Clint Eastwood does a pretty good job in a non-serious, non-tough-guy role. Actually, everyone turns in the same exact performances as the first movie and the one addition is William Smith as Jack Wilson, the toughest fighter around and the one to beat. The mob guys were okay but even they had the comedy angle going.

final word: Entertaining, if no blockbuster. Worth seeing if you like a mix of brawls, beer, and humor.

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