Gator

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Gator

PG

1976

1h 55m

Action

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

25%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

After his release from prison, notorious ex-con and moonshine distiller Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) moves in with his father in a cabin in the Okefenokee Swamp. His bootlegging plans are cut short, however, when a federal agent tells McKlusky that he will lose custody of his 9-year-old daughter unless he helps bring down local crime lord Bama McCall. McKlusky enlists the help of reporter Aggie Maybank (Lauren Hutton) and a few local eccentrics to bring down McCall's empire.

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Molly Haskell

Village Voice

Structurally, Gator is a bit of a mess, largely because of the civilizing and romantic influence Reynolds has brought to the randy domain of the redneck action film.

Jan 23, 2018

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

It never quite connects, even though a summary of its key scenes is like a laundry list of action-'n'-romance cliches.

Rated: 1.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...Live and Let Die-style speedboat chases are added to the mix, and both films offer up plenty of entertainment without too much stunt-man bonhomie that weakened some of Reynolds’ later work...

Rated: 3/5

Jan 30, 2024

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The Kentucky fried humor doesn’t usually work, but country music star Jerry Reed is surprisingly good as the particularly sleazy villain.

Rated: 2.5/4

Dec 10, 2023

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Amber Wilkinson

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

[Burt] Reynolds has achieved a very professional film. [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 11, 2023

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Richard T. Jameson

Parallax View

Good-ol'-boy humor is my least favorite form of masculine love-antagonism in the cinema, but even a generous-minded peckerwood ought to weary rapidly of the snorting, yokking, hooting interplay...

Dec 17, 2011

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Jelisije J

Burt Reynolds returns as Gator to once again seek justice this time in a different southern state.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/26/23

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l g

mix of pulp & cheese, with bits and pieces of a good movie. scenes including both Burt & Jerry were highlights, along with a pretty good final 90 seconds to wrap it up.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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ashley h

Gator is a disappointing film. It is about agents who force a former con man to help them nab a corrupt politician. Burt Reynolds and Jack Weston give horrible performances. The script is badly written. Burt Reynolds also did a terrible job directing this movie. I was not impressed with this motion picture.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

You ever had a friend that had a garage band that you enthusiastically supported even though they weren't exactly the tightest musicians? Or gone to a friends community theatre group play and gave the troupe your glowing praise despite the overall level of excellence to be several levels below average? Well, I like Burt Reynolds. I watch Burt Reynold's movies because Burt Reynolds is in them. Not because I expect to witness cinematic greatness. It is nice when he does manage to do a film that riseS to a level that personifies theatrical greatness but it doesn't ruin it for me when he doesn't. Burt Reynolds is the cool guy I always wanted to be and had the fun I always wanted to have. I am not ashamed to have lived vicariously through his performances in the movies. That includes Gator. It's a bit of a mess. Some of the acting is forced, wooden and to be honest ...embarrassing to witness. But overall it does not dissuade me from seeking out Gator on streaming for a few hours of hanging out with a cool guy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

delysid d

This is a weird old movie with burt reynolds thats something along the lines of smokey and the bandit

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/20/18

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Audience Member

Dumb cringe movie starring Burt Reynolds.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/31/18

Full Review

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Burt Reynolds

Director

Burt Reynolds

Gator McKlusky

Jack Weston

Irving Greenfield

Lauren Hutton

Aggie Maybank

Jerry Reed

Bama McCall

Alice Ghostley

Emmeline Cavanaugh

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Synopsis

After his release from prison, notorious ex-con and moonshine distiller Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) moves in with his father in a cabin in the Okefenokee Swamp. His bootlegging plans are cut short, however, when a federal agent tells McKlusky that he will lose custody of his 9-year-old daughter unless he helps bring down local crime lord Bama McCall. McKlusky enlists the help of reporter Aggie Maybank (Lauren Hutton) and a few local eccentrics to bring down McCall's empire.

Director: Burt Reynolds
Producer: Arthur Gardner, Jules Levy, Arnold Laven
Screenwriter: William W. Norton, Roderick Taylor
Production Co: Levy-Gardner-Laven
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 55m

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