Could have been much better. It was kind of silly. Had to turn speaker volume way down several times due to Goldie Hawn's loud, high pitched, almost unbearable screaming voice.
THE CAWPINE OF ‘THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS’
WRITING: 6
ATMOSPHERE: 7
CHARACTERS: 8
PRODUCTION: 8
INTRIGUE: 6
NOVELTY: 5
ENJOYMENT: 7
The Good:
In terms of directing, The Sugarland Express is a success for Steven Spielberg, who knows how to direct the actors and cinematographers to make every scene dynamically interesting (close-ups, wide shots, layered shots). Coupled with John Williams' quirky score, the technical side of the film is great even by today's standards.
The car chases and shootouts are well-directed, giving this film a touch of western vibe. With this film, Spielberg proves he can handle smaller emotional scenes just as well as big and bombastic action sequences.
The soundtrack is surprisingly low-key for a John Williams score. This is no Star Wars or E.T. and its refreshingly different from what is usually expected from Williams.
The Sugarland Express feels like Bonnie & Clyde or Thelma & Louise on steroids; shit goes down from the very beginning and only seems to intensify as the film goes on.
Goldie Hawn and William Atherton feel like a natural, troubled couple united by a common wish to save their son. I particularly like Hawn's sass in a part surrounded mostly by white, middle-aged men. The way Hawn and Atherton go from pretty much hating each other to finding that long-forgotten love again is well-depicted throughout the story. And the way the both of them slowly bond with Michael Sacks' patrolman is sweet.
When the Poplin's become icons and attain more and more supporters, you can't help but feel that they must be simultaneously the best and the worst parents ever. That also makes the climax feel so much stronger.
The Bad:
People talking on top of each other with Southern accents makes it difficult to follow some conversations.
There's quite a lot of pointless car wrecking and scenes that rehash previous things or otherwise fail to develop the plot somehow. Those make the middle part of the film in particular unnecessarily slow.
Despite a strong beginning and a satisfying conclusion, the script cannot carry the entire two hours satisfyingly and there were times where I felt that I wanted to just skip ahead.
While Goldie Hawn is great, her performance goes somewhat over the top at times and a little bit more on the screamy side.
The Ugly:
Ending two movies in a row with the same shot is extremely lazy, Mr. Spielberg!
CAWPINE RATING: 6.71 / 10 = 3,5 stars
They build tension well in the first half but the second half feels repetitive. A little long. Story is a little silly compared to today's standards.
One of Spielberg's early efforts and it is fair to say that this is also not one of his strongest. Whilst Spielberg manages to build some tension in the first half as the situation escalates, this gives way to a uneven tone that ensures the stakes are rarely felt or convincing. It doesn't help that the two central characters are poorly developed and difficult to care about, making their quest equally uninvolving. It doesn't outstay its welcome and there are some nice moments throughout, but its the connection with the characters that is sorely lacking and a central mistake to this film that Spielberg rarely made again.
Shout by r96skBlockedParent2024-05-08T23:51:20Z
Quality!
'The Sugarland Express' is Steven Spielberg's first theatrical release as director, which is quite something given the movie seems like it was made by a seasoned vet. On a similar note, the look and feel of the film is absolutely outstanding; it has aged remarkably well visually, almost hard to believe it came out in 1974! I also really enjoyed the score, particularly Toots Thielemans on the harmonica, but that's no surprise - John Williams, duh!
As for plot, it is very entertaining. I like how silly everything plays out for the first chunk and the film knows it, but events gradually rise up a notch throughout the 110 minutes. The more serious conclusion would've felt quite sudden and out of place, though it is portrayed and paced perfectly. Cast-wise, Goldie Hawn, William Atherton and Michael Sacks are excellent, though Ben Johnson is probably the one I'd rate highest.