The Last American Hero

PG

1973

1 hr. 35 min.

Action

List

75%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

52%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges) is a Southern boy with a penchant for driving too fast along his native North Carolina backroads. But when his father, Elroy (Art Lund), is jailed for moonshining, Junior decides to go pro, if only to be able to buy Elroy a few prison privileges. With the help of his brother, Wayne (Gary Busey), he slowly climbs the ranks of the various racing circuits. Often at odds with corporate sponsors, Jackson nevertheless becomes one of the first celebrities of NASCAR.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Dec 06

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent The Last American Hero on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Audience Member

It was alright The racing scenes are exciting though Bridges is good here

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/28/23

Full Review

Ashley H

The Last American Hero is a decent film. It is about a young hellraiser who quits his moonshine business. Jeff Bridges and Gary Busey give good performances. The screenplay is a little slow in places. Lamont Johnson did an alright job directing this movie. I liked this motion picture because of the drama.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good racing movie. Nothing special but worth it if you are a racing fan

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/11/22

Full Review

Stephen C

The greatest 01 hour: and 35 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/27/22

Full Review

delysid d

jeff bridges made a ton of movies, but only some are great. this ones great

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/17/20

Full Review

Audience Member

I watched 'The Last American Hero' a week after the 'Justified' series finale. It was refreshing to see a movie that actually cared about capturing the verdant beauty of southern Appalachia (as well as the Carolina Piedmont). The producers of 'Justified,' a show set in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, didn't care about that at all. It was shot in California, and they didn't try to hide it. There are no burnt, bare hills and scrub in Appalachia or the Piedmont; both are lush and blanketed with trees.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Lamont Johnson

Director

Jeff Bridges

Elroy Jackson Jr.

Valerie Perrine

Marge Dennison

Geraldine Fitzgerald

Mrs. Jackson

Ned Beatty

Hackel

Gary Busey

Wayne Jackson

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Pauline Kael

New Yorker

The director, Lamonth Johnson has been able to make a hip, modern movie.

Sep 19, 2023

Full Review

Janet Maslin

Boston Phoenix

Suffice it to say that it's real good.

Oct 8, 2021

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...excessively hit-and-miss...

Rated: 2/4

Apr 3, 2021

Full Review

Lori Hoffman

Atlantic City Weekly

Rated: 3/5

Jan 25, 2006

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: B

Jun 19, 2005

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 3/5

May 19, 2005

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges) is a Southern boy with a penchant for driving too fast along his native North Carolina backroads. But when his father, Elroy (Art Lund), is jailed for moonshining, Junior decides to go pro, if only to be able to buy Elroy a few prison privileges. With the help of his brother, Wayne (Gary Busey), he slowly climbs the ranks of the various racing circuits. Often at odds with corporate sponsors, Jackson nevertheless becomes one of the first celebrities of NASCAR.

Director: Lamont Johnson
Executive Producer: Joe Wizan
Screenwriter: William Roberts, Bill Kerby, Tom Wolfe
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 18, 2012

Most Popular at Home Now