I happened to catch this on TV not even knowing of the film's existence. I was amazed that, over time, no one has ever referenced this truly outstanding film from a decade of outstanding films. Without going into too much detail, the film deals with the everyday problems and issues of three Detroit auto assembly line workers. Everything about the film is outstanding from the score (done by Jack Nietsche who worked with The Rolling Stones in their heyday), to the script (which I read was based on an article in Time Magazine), to the acting. Richard Pryor especially shines in a performance that is both funny and heartbreaking. I'd never known that he dabbled in dramatic acting before until I read an article in Entertainment Weekly that listed his performance as one of the best to never be nominated. And that's how I first stumbled upon this film. It's kind of tough to find at the local video store but if you are a fan of Paul Schrader's work and like to see a stylish and socially conscious film, (for the times at least) than check it out.
Review of Blue Collar
