bringoutyourdead
My reluctance to see this film in the theater was based solely on my friends' inability to describe what the film was about to my satisfaction."It's about this contest. These people put their hands on this truck, and the last one to remove their hands wins the truck. It's so good. I promise." Yeah, whatever.My friends finally convinced me to go, and I was amazed. And very soon after that, I was the friend in the role of inarticulate defender, dragging anyone who would listen along with me for my second and third viewings.My eloquence has not increased over the last two years, so I will simply say you will not be disappointed in watching Hands on a Hardbody. You may even be reminded how closely related we all are as human beings. You may also remember how dramatic and intriguing even the most seemingly uninteresting premises can be. And I defy you not to laugh out loud and/or get misty-eyed at some of the participants, not because they are presented as comic foils or ignorant east Texans, but because they are as human in their words and actions as you are likely to see in a film, documentary or otherwise.
bongofish
I'm sure you've read enough of the other reviews to understand the story, so I won't go back over that. I simply wanted to add that this story is "deep". It is one of the most human and moving and exciting and funny documentaries I have ever seen. The movie in many ways transcends its limited scope and gives us glimpses into human nature that are truly universal. We see friendship, anger, sacrifice, jealousy, hope, pettiness, faith all arise from such a simple contest. The ending is so perfect that it'll bring a tear to your eye. To quote Benny, the sage of the film, "It's a human drama thing." Absolutely.
Cutter
A great real-life slice of American color. Similar in tone to the early Errol Morris works "Vernon, Florida" and "Gates , H an engrossing and often hilarious look at a group of Texas stalwarts who enter into a contest to win a pick-up truck. The rules state they must keep one hand on the truck at all times. The last one standing is the winner of the truck. By film's end, you don't want anyone characters that only real life has to offer. I saw this film at the Los Angeles Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, and enjoyed it so much I took friends to see the additional screenings. Its low budget is evident but when a tale is worth telling, who cares?
seren-4
This is a great movie that unfortunately qualifies as a documentary and thus will not get the huge viewing audience that it deserves. This movie doesn't try to push a moral angle on the audience and is hilarious without making fun of the participants. The only thing I wonder is, will non-Texans be as enthralled with it as I am. I truly believe so.
AD
