7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :- One Of The Most Highly Misunderstood Films, 11 December 2000
Author:
Allen J. Duffis (sataft-2) from USA
Some film critics labeled this film a bomb. I feel, however, the only
thing
exploding with such rash comments are their lack of true experience in and
with the real, down and dirty, world.
Upon exiting the theater to find their cars stolen, do these critics even
wonder about the innate nature of the person who has absconded with their
vehicles.
Stockard Channing enters the role and world of a dedicated car thief with
such deft character acting, that many of the true criminal element were
(reportedly) able to bond with her. And for that reason alone, the
viewer
has to watch this film with their focus solely limited to the character
being depicted. Disregard everything else in the film with the notable
exception of her motive, methods and single minded determination to
achieve
one single soul driving goal.
Listening to Channing spew out the dialect of the seasoned criminal with
such convincing force and believability, one might easily suspect she had
at
one time actually been such a person who lived in such an environment.
Most
definitely, one would never guess she had attended the socially acclaimed
Radcliff College. If character acting is what acting is all about, then
Ms.
Channing is one hell of an actress.
This highly underrated cinematic character study is well worth the renting
for the true film buff.
4 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :- The Porsch 356 was sold the 2nd or 3rd time at my houseboat, 17 October 2005
Author:
capd from United States
Looking for a copy of the movie to see if my wife was actually in the
movie or a second. Sweet Revenge was filmed at our houseboat and I was
a little irate because I couldn't get home from work. Stockard Channing
used our bathroom to freshen up and signed her name in lipstick on the
mirror; which I thought was a little presumptuous. My wife was watching
the production with her hair in curlers which the director liked and
wanted to keep her in the film, but since we were going out that night
she skipped the last couple of takes. We always wondered if she was in
the print or not. We couldn't really tell from the showing. I would
sure like to see it one more time. I thought the funniest scene was
transposition of the police siren with the ice cream loudspeaker.
Otherwise, I agree the plot was a little thin.
Stockard Channing: She's Just That Damned Good!, 4 January 2006
Author:
SelfProclaimedHuegonot
If you're looking for a movie with meaning, this isn't it. But, if
you're looking for about 2 hours of car-stealing fun, this is the movie
for you. The plot is easy to follow (she steals cars to buy her dream
car) and the acting is wonderful. I'm surprised at how much chemistry
Stockard Channing and Sam Waterston have together (of course, you could
put Stockard Channing opposite a hot dog and she would have find a way
to make the scene work.) I'd never heard of this movie before and
didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by it. I wonder
why this film wasn't considered good when it came out. It really isn't
a bad little film. If you need only one reason to see this movie, watch
it to see the development of Stockard Channing's acting technique. This
woman should have a mantle full of Academy Awards. She slips into
Vurrla and her different aliases so easily that you wonder (at least I
did) if she has some type of personality disorder. I don't mean that in
a cruel way, but her transformation into the character is so complete
that you forget you're watching Stockard Channing playing a character
and feel as if you're peeping in on Vurrla. When you're so engrossed in
a movie that you forget that you're watching a movie, that is the
hallmark of a great acting (think Olivier in "Othello" or Davis in "The
Little Foxes).
Fine little 70's curio, 27 February 2005
Author:
markrobi from United States
Having known specialists in 'midnight auto' Ms. Channings portrayal of
an obsessed car thief rings very true-to-life. To anyone else watching
this movie the mechanics of the trade must have been an eye-opener. Of
course, every car nut worth his (or her) salt has probably lusted after
a Ferrari 246 Dino; but not to the degree that's reflected in Ms.
Channings single-minded pursuit of that modern classic automobile.
At the time "All American Girl" was released I was living in Sea-Tac
WA, the primary film setting. No effort made in trying to create a
fictional locale. There was plenty of local press coverage and the
movie may have even premiered there (?) Just about every frame contains
shots of both the beauty and grittiness of the place and the characters
inhabiting the world of grand-theft-auto (a perfect tonic BTW, for that
Roger Corman/Ron Howard film on the same topic).
Not that I found the movie a 'downer'. Far from it. There's plenty of
humor supplied by Ms. Channing, presaging later roles on film and TV.
Her character's various changes in disguise as she alternately sells
and steals a Porsche 356 in order to get up the scratch for the
ultimate score are just too funny.
Making a film like "Sweet Revenge" could probably not come close to
happening these days. The age of the Anti-Hero is long gone. One should
be glad that it was released when it was. There's nothing else around
quite like it.
Also recommended, "Gone in 60 Seconds" (the original).
0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- Entertaining and well-acted and MIA, 28 July 2001
Author:
JakersWild from Missouri, USA
Haven't seen Sweet Revenge since the early 80s. I remember finding it very
entertaining, and was really drawn into the two lead characters: The thief
and the investigator. Perhaps the premise is thin, all the effort just for
a
car, but surely many people have obsessions with cars. I know people who
seem to love their car more than their spouse.
Stockard Channing was amazing, as was Sam Waterston. I'd love to see it
again.
Sadly this movie is not available on VHS/DVD nor on cable. Any interest in
reviving it for a discount renter have probably gotten thwarted by the fact
there are 6 other movies by this exact name listed on IMDb, so just knowing
which Sweet Revenge one is talking about is tough. The 1984 movie of the
same name plays on cable all the time, but never this 1977 title. Like
other
movies from the slightly pre-VCR-boom era that I'd like to see again,
including 'A Man, a Woman, and a Bank' and 'The Manitou' (which was
bad/silly but worth a rewatch), it may not pass this way
again.
If you should actually come across it, it's worth checking out. (And then
let me know where the heck you found it!)
Own the rights?
Buy it at Amazon Rent it atblockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-

One Of The Most Highly Misunderstood Films, 11 December 2000
Author: Allen J. Duffis (sataft-2) from USA
Some film critics labeled this film a bomb. I feel, however, the only thing exploding with such rash comments are their lack of true experience in and with the real, down and dirty, world.
Upon exiting the theater to find their cars stolen, do these critics even wonder about the innate nature of the person who has absconded with their vehicles.
Stockard Channing enters the role and world of a dedicated car thief with such deft character acting, that many of the true criminal element were (reportedly) able to bond with her. And for that reason alone, the viewer has to watch this film with their focus solely limited to the character being depicted. Disregard everything else in the film with the notable exception of her motive, methods and single minded determination to achieve one single soul driving goal.
Listening to Channing spew out the dialect of the seasoned criminal with such convincing force and believability, one might easily suspect she had at one time actually been such a person who lived in such an environment. Most definitely, one would never guess she had attended the socially acclaimed Radcliff College. If character acting is what acting is all about, then Ms. Channing is one hell of an actress.
This highly underrated cinematic character study is well worth the renting for the true film buff.
4 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-

The Porsch 356 was sold the 2nd or 3rd time at my houseboat, 17 October 2005
Author: capd from United States
Looking for a copy of the movie to see if my wife was actually in the movie or a second. Sweet Revenge was filmed at our houseboat and I was a little irate because I couldn't get home from work. Stockard Channing used our bathroom to freshen up and signed her name in lipstick on the mirror; which I thought was a little presumptuous. My wife was watching the production with her hair in curlers which the director liked and wanted to keep her in the film, but since we were going out that night she skipped the last couple of takes. We always wondered if she was in the print or not. We couldn't really tell from the showing. I would sure like to see it one more time. I thought the funniest scene was transposition of the police siren with the ice cream loudspeaker. Otherwise, I agree the plot was a little thin.
Stockard Channing: She's Just That Damned Good!, 4 January 2006

Author: SelfProclaimedHuegonot
If you're looking for a movie with meaning, this isn't it. But, if you're looking for about 2 hours of car-stealing fun, this is the movie for you. The plot is easy to follow (she steals cars to buy her dream car) and the acting is wonderful. I'm surprised at how much chemistry Stockard Channing and Sam Waterston have together (of course, you could put Stockard Channing opposite a hot dog and she would have find a way to make the scene work.) I'd never heard of this movie before and didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by it. I wonder why this film wasn't considered good when it came out. It really isn't a bad little film. If you need only one reason to see this movie, watch it to see the development of Stockard Channing's acting technique. This woman should have a mantle full of Academy Awards. She slips into Vurrla and her different aliases so easily that you wonder (at least I did) if she has some type of personality disorder. I don't mean that in a cruel way, but her transformation into the character is so complete that you forget you're watching Stockard Channing playing a character and feel as if you're peeping in on Vurrla. When you're so engrossed in a movie that you forget that you're watching a movie, that is the hallmark of a great acting (think Olivier in "Othello" or Davis in "The Little Foxes).
Fine little 70's curio, 27 February 2005

Author: markrobi from United States
Having known specialists in 'midnight auto' Ms. Channings portrayal of an obsessed car thief rings very true-to-life. To anyone else watching this movie the mechanics of the trade must have been an eye-opener. Of course, every car nut worth his (or her) salt has probably lusted after a Ferrari 246 Dino; but not to the degree that's reflected in Ms. Channings single-minded pursuit of that modern classic automobile.
At the time "All American Girl" was released I was living in Sea-Tac WA, the primary film setting. No effort made in trying to create a fictional locale. There was plenty of local press coverage and the movie may have even premiered there (?) Just about every frame contains shots of both the beauty and grittiness of the place and the characters inhabiting the world of grand-theft-auto (a perfect tonic BTW, for that Roger Corman/Ron Howard film on the same topic).
Not that I found the movie a 'downer'. Far from it. There's plenty of humor supplied by Ms. Channing, presaging later roles on film and TV. Her character's various changes in disguise as she alternately sells and steals a Porsche 356 in order to get up the scratch for the ultimate score are just too funny.
Making a film like "Sweet Revenge" could probably not come close to happening these days. The age of the Anti-Hero is long gone. One should be glad that it was released when it was. There's nothing else around quite like it.
Also recommended, "Gone in 60 Seconds" (the original).
0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-

Entertaining and well-acted and MIA, 28 July 2001
Author: JakersWild from Missouri, USA
Haven't seen Sweet Revenge since the early 80s. I remember finding it very entertaining, and was really drawn into the two lead characters: The thief and the investigator. Perhaps the premise is thin, all the effort just for a car, but surely many people have obsessions with cars. I know people who seem to love their car more than their spouse.
Stockard Channing was amazing, as was Sam Waterston. I'd love to see it again.
Sadly this movie is not available on VHS/DVD nor on cable. Any interest in reviving it for a discount renter have probably gotten thwarted by the fact there are 6 other movies by this exact name listed on IMDb, so just knowing which Sweet Revenge one is talking about is tough. The 1984 movie of the same name plays on cable all the time, but never this 1977 title. Like other movies from the slightly pre-VCR-boom era that I'd like to see again, including 'A Man, a Woman, and a Bank' and 'The Manitou' (which was bad/silly but worth a rewatch), it may not pass this way again.
If you should actually come across it, it's worth checking out. (And then let me know where the heck you found it!)
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