The Survivors

This is classic Robin Williams! The plot is full of holes and overall it's fairly pointless, but this movie makes me laugh and grin no matter how many times I watch it. The best scenes take place in a snowy New England forest, and the movie does an awesome job of capturing the atmosphere.

Young upper management executive Donald (Williams) gets canned as part of a restructuring. With his mind occupied by that he quite accidentally leaves a sizable gasoline spill outside a petrol station/auto shop just before its crotchety old proprietor Sonny (Mathau) tosses a stale cancer stick. After that Sonny no longer owns a petrol station/auto shop. Neither man really sees the other or knows what really happened.

These suddenly desperate sad-sacks converge on the local unemployment office whilst Jack (Reed) - one other more desperate yet decidedly more volatile individual is also there. At a nearby diner, while Donald and Sonny are sulking after a miserable day at the mercy of the federal bureaucracy, Jack shows up with a loaded gun and tries to rob the place. Jack has been pushed too far which results in his pushing Donald and Sonny too far. They foil the robbery but Donald is shot. Jack easily orchestrates his getaway.

Becoming cause celebres for their daring good deed in the incident doesn't help Donald or Sonny. The media ridicules them. Worse, Jack gets their names from the news reports and goes hunting after them as Sonny struggles through odd jobs and Donald alienates his fiancé by going to live at a survivalist camp. Tracking Donald to the camp by threatening Sonny, Jack is determined to finally silence both of the odd couple friends. Donald - exhilarated by the whole experience craves a final confrontation.

The film starts quite well to hook the viewer but most of the truly funny material is to be found at the beginning. By the middle it lags and lingers as gaping plot holes remain. The final thirty minutes are mostly unwatchable in the run-up to a nonsensical conclusion. They appeared to be looking for absolutely anything with which they could fashion a satisfactory conclusion for the final cut.

Despite being from 1983, then I will say that "The Survivors" actually still holds its ground today, and can still be watched as a movie that was filmed recently.

The story is about Sonny (played by Walther Matthau) who lost his gas station in an accident after 12 years of running it, and also the story of Donald (played by Robin Williams) who was fired from his upscale corporate job by a parrot nonetheless. The paths intertwine when they are at the same diner when a would-be robber attempts to rob the establishment.

Storywise, then "The Survivors" is fairly straight forward and simple. The story doesn't really require much from the audience. But what makes the movie work is the on screen charisma of both Walther Matthau and Robin Williams, and when put together they are like fire and ice.

While this is a comedy, then it is not the type of comedy that will have you laying down with cramps from laughing. The comedy here is more subtle and indirect.

There are some great one liners throughout the movie. And while this is a comedy, then it should be said that the movie does present a rather colorful take on the American rights to bear arms.

If you haven't already seen "The Survivors", then take note that it is well worth spending an hour an a half on.

the "survivors" is absolutely one of the finest comedies i've come across. never is williams better than when playing the deluded idiot, and this is his finest hour in that persona. matthau's opposite, more reserved approach works perfectly to temper williams' madness. and jerry reed is fantastic as the hit man who may or may not have been responsible for teamster boss jimmy hoffa's disappearance. i must urge those (and there are many) who consider this classic to be a turkey to give it another chance.

Recently revisited the classic The Survivors (1983) on Tubi. The storyline revolves around two individuals who, by a stroke of fate, become friends after losing their jobs simultaneously and accidentally thwarting a hitman's plan. Following these events, the younger friend decides to retreat from society and join an extreme survivalist group in the mountains, while the older friend contemplates how to bounce back financially. However, when the vengeful hitman returns, the two friends must reunite and work together once more.

Directed by Michael Ritchie (The Golden Child), the film features an exceptional cast, including Walter Matthau (Grumpy Old Men), Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire), Jerry Reed (Smokey and the Bandit) and James Wainwright (Beyond Westworld).

Walter Matthau and Robin Williams absolutely nailed their respective roles. Their facial expressions, mannerisms, and delivery of dialogue were flawless from start to finish. Robin Williams brought a wild, unpredictable, and utterly engaging quality to his character, making it impossible not to embrace his random and awkward persona. Matthau's reactions to Williams were consistently hilarious, and their on-screen chemistry was spot-on. Jerry Reed played a memorable villain, and the film's circumstances were uniquely entertaining within the comedy genre.

In conclusion, The Survivors is a distinctive and well-executed addition to the comedy genre. I would rate this a 7-7.5/10 and strongly recommend it.