Thanks for the memories!

Powerful

Memorable, crazy movie

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

In reviewing African-Americans in film in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1981 with Bustin' Loose. In this one, Richard Pryor is a small-time crook who gets a chance at redemption when his parole officer asks him to drive a bus of troubled children and his fiancée (Cicely Tyson) across country from Philadelphia to Seattle on the way to Tyson's family farm. That obviously doesn't sound like a hilarious comedy and there are indeed some scenes Pryor has with some of the kids that expresses more of his dramatic abilities, as heartfelt as some of those scenes may be. There's still some of his unique comic talents here that may make you glad you gave this one a shot like his attempted con of several TV sets in a bogus delivery truck or his fooling the Ku Klux Klan into pushing the bus out of a mud-hole because they think all the kids in it are blind! Then there's his cowboy disguise with fake accent near the end that made me laugh pretty hard. Ms. Tyson, normally a dramatic actress, has a few humorous moments of her own that puts her in a new light. Threatens to lose steam after a while but all in all, Bustin' Loose is nothing Mr. Pryor had to be ashamed about especially since he thought up the story and was co-producer. P.S. It was here that he set himself on fire when he freebased on cocaine.

"Bustin' Loose" is a surprisingly delightful, even occasionally moving film. An ex-con (Richard Pryor) helps a teacher (Cicely Tyson) move a group of 'special' children three thousand miles across the U.S. from Philadelphia to Washington State.After a slow, and somewhat not so promising start, the movie picks up as the journey across country begins. "Bustin' Loose" has its comic moments and remains quite simple throughout, with a warm and touching finale that makes it all worthwhile. Credit this to astute director Oz Scott, and the inspired teaming of comic genius Richard Pryor and co-star Cicely Tyson.Monday, July 1, 1991 - Video

I love Richard Pryor, but this particular project obviously didn't pan out. He has some funny scenes, but altogether he seems humiliated to be in the movie. This would've worked out better, if it were just an after-school special. The problem is it tries to be a comedy, but the tone is way too uneven. The tone is right in the first half, when Pryor is a slick con man with a short temper. I really got a kick out of the courtroom scene, in which he begs to be sentenced for 5 years in jail, purposely to do community service instead. But once the film takes a serious turn, it never recovers. That's when the story becomes sappy, sentimental and manipulative. Sure, it's quite touching when Pryor begins to like the kids and he even teaches them lessons on life, but I'm just being manipulated by the director. I'm a peer educator, I've worked with dysfunctional children--they don't become nice that easily! Once that kid is corrupted, it takes a lot more than a simple pep talk to turn him/her into a decent, upstanding citizen. So the plot is expectedly predictable. I'm sure some will think much better of the film, since Pryor shows his more serious side. In this particular film, he should've stuck to comedy. In every scene where he gets emotional, his voice rises to a comic pitch and it ruins the moments. But as I said, he was probably humiliated to be in the movie and I can't judge him as a lousy dramatic actor, simply from his work in this particular film. I haven't seen it yet, but he made a movie in the 70s with Paul Schraeder, co-starring with Harvey Keitel, called "Blue Collar" in which he gave a dramatic performance. He may have been good in that film. And last but not least, the soundtrack is terrible! I understand music like that was typical of the movies of the 70s and early 80s, but I wanted to shoot myself every time I heard the music! It just dampened the mood of every scene, as if the film wasn't uneven enough! If you want to see Richard Pryor at his best, check out one of his concert films. I compare how much I laughed when watching his first concert film and how much I laughed during "Bustin' Loose," and there's a huge difference. The film has its moments, and is not altogether terrible, but it's only OK and very forgettable. My score: 5 (out of 10)

Over the years when nothing else is on I watch Bustin' Loose from time to time, it is such a good feel good movie. Neat story which has Richard Pryor as con man Joe Braxton who is maneuvered into taking a group of disturbed kids from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania along with their teacher Cicely Tyson to a farm in Washington state owned by the aunt and uncle of Cicely Tyson. This movie is a great journey of respect and friendship it shows just how that no matter how different people are they can become friends and learn to care and respect one another. This is not typical Richard Pryor you don't find much strong language but Pryor is plenty enough his comical and funny self to make this film a winner. So if you haven't seen this give it a watch it shows from time to time on cable. Probably one of the better movies of Richard Pryor.