On the Edge | | Cast : | Bruce Dern, Bill Bailey (II) | | Director : | Rob Nilsson | | Studio : | Koch Lorber | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | , 1985 | | DVD Released Date : | February 08, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 23, 2005 | | Summary | The Lady Vanishes...a sad hypocrisy | Content
 | The DVD is grainy, with an out-of-sync audio track, but the story is fine, Bruce Dern does a great job. And where is Pam Grier? Every trace of her has been excised from the original movie; her name is not on the dvd box...and a 95 min loses 10 minutes to what purpose? No reviews have suggested the reason for the release of only the sliced and diced version. What had been an R rated film is now...? A real disappointment to me, having seen the movie in the theaters at the time of its release. For a movie that takes issue with commercialism, the willingness to make a "safe" version without interracial romantic plot points, is sad. Pathetic on several levels. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 22, 2003 | | Summary | SENSE OF '60s IDEALISM | Content
| The premise is that of a talented long-distance runner having spoiled his career by naming too many bigwigs in the hierarchy of amateur athletics as having been "on the take". The runner's dad, an old marxist, didn't see the point of pursuing an athletic career, as opposed to struggling in the political arena, despite his son's carrying off his athletic commitment with a great sense of justice and fair-play. So, the son comes home and competes in a race he isn't supposed to be in & the old man, over time, gains a broader appreciation of human endeavor, as long as it's done with class & honesty. Maybe a somewhat predictable story, but Dern carries off the loner-hero-runner who would not close his eyes to corruption with great style (kind of Serpico meets Jim Ryun). I always thought Dern was great in roles that express baby-boomer social concern. Also, Pam Grier is Dern's girlfriend (that's gotta help, eh?). Rob Nilsson of San Fran directed this & also the excellent "Northern Lights". |
| Rating | | | Date | June 10, 2003 | | Summary | Men okay, women not so great | Content
| When I saw "On the Edge" during its first run in the Bay Area, I could give it five stars for its depiction of a man trying for a comeback after the sport he loved failed him. I couldn't give it much for its depiction of the relationship Wes had with Cora. She seemed incidental and plus, we never see her with Wes and his father or with Wes' extended family. He's more active and demonstrative with his ex-coach and his father. The fact that Cora is played by the incomparable Pam Grier makes it all the more amazing. I see him have very eye-opening sex with her but I don't see him unwind, confide, open himself with her other than when they are entwined, and then there is little here to mine. Such unwinding could give viewers a better, internal understanding about Wes and give me a reason why Cora was so integral to his life and why he returned to her. She only gives of herself when he has been disappointed or wounded; in short, she's a kind of mother figure. No wonder she leaves him just before his great "Cielo Sea" (the Dipsea) race. That she loves him in her own way is obvious, but why? Yes, I am black and no, I have no problem with interracing in film. I'm just disappointed that I don't see more than I could wish. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 27, 2003 | | Summary | 80s [slumm] | Content
| Basically this is a typical... 80's movie... the kind you would find late night on USA or something. The characters are tired, simple and boring and the music makes you feel like you are playing Atari. The movie is also incredibly unmotivating, especially if you are a competative, serious runner. Don't buy it, in fact don't rent it. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 28, 2003 | | Summary | Kinda bored but still not bad in the end | Content
| Could anybody as a runner been suspended for 20 years? Suspension usually means there is a time limit or period for such penalty or punishment, and it usually means a short term. Yet in this movie the guy after 20 years was still suspended from running. How could it be? That no big deal misconduct is the bad scenario of this movie only served as a tough element for this tough 44 years old middle aged guy to deal with, making the movie itself possible. That misconduct should not and would not sentence him a lifetime ban from running but exaggerated too much. With a lot of totally unnecessary love-making scenes just served as another cheat purpose to keep the viewers not falling sleeping during watching, just another [thing] stuffed into this slow going movie. But all in all, the ending is quite good, showing this guy not only got an iron will, but also a big heart of sharing, for the triumph and satisfaction of such achievement with other front runners. |
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