Burt Reynolds headlines as Paul Crewe, a former pro quarterback, who is not the nicest person. He’s abusive, violent, and isn’t always the best teammate. After a particularly ugly interaction with a woman the top of the film, Crewe ends up in a prison, run by Warden Hazen (Eddie Albert) and Captain Knauer (Ed Lautrer).

And his hard time is going to be hard. Unless he takes a deal offered by Hazen. Train up some of his fellow prisoners to play against the guards. It seems the prison guards have a semi-pro league, and they need a team to practice on.

Crewe takes the deal in hopes of getting an early parole, but other members are going to need more incentive. And they’ll get it as the film illustrates how violent and racist the guards are to their inmates.

There are some incredibly brutal moments, and despite being hailed as a comedy, I found it to be more of a dark drama with some very funny moments. Reynolds, Albert and Lautner are surrounded by a solid cast, including James Hampton, Michael Conrad, Richard Kiel, Bernadette Peters, and John Steadman.

Hazen and Crewe both know that the inmates’ team can’t win. But no one told them that, and they are trained as quickly as they can, throw in some dirty tricks, and fight for every yard on the field.

The game has a lot of laughs, but there’s a lot of brutality in other sequences; how the guards speak and act with the black prisoners, and the fate of Hampton’s Caretaker.

Lauter has always been able to lip into those darker roles, but it’s really fun to see Albert playing against type. I’ve always seen him as a happy, funny comedic actor with a solid dramatic streak. Here, he leans into that likability again and exploits it for villainy. He’s manipulative and dastardly as the prison warden.

The film is very much a product of the time, from the way it’s shot to the pacing to the treatment of characters who aren’t Paul Crewe. It’s harsh, and yet, Reynolds makes the humour work. But only in the appropriate moments. The rest of the time, as mentioned, it plays as a fairly heavy drama.

Reynolds is a solid actor, and with his stuntman background training, he knew what he was capable of. He’s also extremely likable on screen. And this was Reynolds coming into the height of his 70s star power.

It’s a solid film, but unlike the recommendation by the text on the poster, this one definitely isn’t for everyone. But for those it is aimed at, chances are you’ll like it.