X
- 1998
- PG
- Legacy Releasing Corporation
- 1 h 38 m
- 1998
- PG
- Legacy Releasing Corporation
- 1 h 38 m
Summary Twenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck wins. An absurd marketing gimmick at first glance, the contest proves to be much more...
Directed By: S.R. Bindler
- 1998
- PG
- Legacy Releasing Corporation
- 1 h 38 m
- 1998
- PG
- Legacy Releasing Corporation
- 1 h 38 m
Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary
82
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
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Summary Twenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck wins. An absurd marketing gimmick at first glance, the contest proves to be much more...
Directed By: S.R. Bindler
Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 9 Critic Reviews
82
78% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
22% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
Based on 9 Critic Reviews
82
78% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
22% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Yet a nigh-miraculous blend of high spirits, poignancy, gentle satire, and unpretentious insight into the nature of human aspiration make this one of the most impressive films you're likely to see this year.
Culled from the over 100 hours of videotape Bindler and his tiny band of masochists shot during the contest and mixed with priceless pre-contest interviews, Hands… was far and away the most hysterical and engaging documentary since Spinal Tap, only this was for real.
Bindler's recognition of the rich and intense human drama boiling away beneath the laconic surfaces and underplayed verbalizations turns Hands on a Hardbody into a surprisingly affecting metaphor for American life as an ongoing exercise in endurance. [30 Jul 1999, p.D7]
The camaraderie among these strangers tossed together by fate is inspiring, as the competition gives way to good sportsmanship and, ultimately, good will.
When Sydney Pollack made They Shoot Horses, Don't They? in 1969, the desperation of its dance-marathon contestants was palpable, but the film's Depression-era setting allowed the audience some distance. Hands on a Hard Body hits closer to home.
Bindler's slice of the American pie is a slim one, but it's fascinating none the less.
It's engaging as a non-drama of people doing nothing, but suffering a lot.
User Reviews
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Production Company
Idea Entertainment,
J.K. Livin Productions,
Wessex Entertainment Group
Release Date Jul 10, 1998
Duration 1 h 38 m
Rating PG
Genres
Tagline If you really want something, keep your hands on it.
Awards
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
AFI Fest
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Florida Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
