Woodyanders Review of Take This Job and Shove It

Take This Job and Shove It (1981)

A hilariously raucous redneck comedy hoot

[8/10 · 16 November 2007]

Johnny Paycheck's super fed-up with being exploited by the Man proletarian honky-tonk rant, written by ex-convict David Allan Coe, was turned into one of the true unsung classic films of the early 80s. It's a rowdy, boisterous, high-spirited seriocomic slice-of-blue-collar-life redneck romp about refusing to kowtow to any big company nonsense and taking charge of your own destiny. Eager beaver hotshot corporate executive Robert Hays returns to his podunk burg home town to get the sagging local brewery back on its feet again. He changes the operation with mixed results: the company suits are happy, but the workers are discontent. Will Hays do the right thing and tell the top brass to shove it? Man, does baby cover all the necessary bases: a top-notch country-and-western soundtrack, a monster truck race, romance, cussin', authentically funky locations (e.g., smoky taverns and low-rent bowling alleys), a wild barroom football game, working class angst and frustration, and, best of all, a rousing stick it to the head honchos workers revolt conclusion. The uniformly excellent cast includes Barbara Hershey as Hays' feisty ex-girlfriend, David Keith and Tim Thomerson as scruffy good ol' boys, Art Carney as the plant manager, Martin Mull as an obsequious company man boot-licker, Eddie Albert as an a**hole CEO, Len Lesser as a jerk foreman, country singer Charlie Rich as a rival corporate head, Royal Dano as an elderly factory worker, and James Karen as Carney's right-hand man. Directed with tremendous flair by Gus Trikonis (his previous hick flicks include "Nashville Girl" and "Moonshine County Express") and affectionately written by Barry Schneider, this unjustly overlooked darling is just ripe for rediscovery.