Burdened by an awful (but insightfully depicted) family background, Chester Jump (Tom Ligon) tries to make it as an auto racer, participating in everything from drag races to demolition derbies. Meeting with plenty of complications along the way, including a self-serving racing promoter,
he is taken on an emotional roller-coaster ride that still isn't over as the credits begin to crawl. Despite its thin plot, JUMP profits from a fine performance by Ligon, some good support from the ensemble, and periodically incisive writing and direction, yet it never becomes the interesting
picture it could have been.
Released:
1971
Rated:
GP
Length:
97 mins