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.
20 Reviews
Bustin' Loose shows some warmth as well as laughs from Pryor
tavm26 February 2008
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.
Richard Pryor busts ya one
lee_eisenberg21 May 2012
I guess that "Bustin' Loose" is most famous because it was during the production of this movie that Richard Pryor had his near-death experience with freebasing. But there's more to the movie than that. Pryor plays an ex-con who gets a second chance by getting assigned to drive a bus load of special needs children from Philadelphia to Washington state.
Much of the humor derives from Richard Pryor's and Cicely Tyson's personalities bouncing off of each other: he's the irresponsible goof-off, she's the stern teacher. There's also a look at the children's stories: there's a blind boy, a pyromaniac, and a former child prostitute from Vietnam. And then of course, there's the scene with the Ku Klux Klan; I bet that Richard Pryor had wanted to do something like that for years!
So, it's a pretty silly movie, but still very enjoyable. It's too bad that Richard Pryor is no longer with us.
Much of the humor derives from Richard Pryor's and Cicely Tyson's personalities bouncing off of each other: he's the irresponsible goof-off, she's the stern teacher. There's also a look at the children's stories: there's a blind boy, a pyromaniac, and a former child prostitute from Vietnam. And then of course, there's the scene with the Ku Klux Klan; I bet that Richard Pryor had wanted to do something like that for years!
So, it's a pretty silly movie, but still very enjoyable. It's too bad that Richard Pryor is no longer with us.
A nice family comedy
flicklover7 July 2001
This is a really nice film. I bought it on DVD and saw it last night. I had seen it various times through the years. Last night was the first time I had seen it in along time. Without Richard Pryor it could have been an after school special. I have always liked Richard Pryor in his films, he always played a normal human being, he never got into the supercop comedies like Eddie Murphy did. Pryor showed in this film that he could be tender as well as funny. It is a little gem of movie, very lite, but very funny and heartwarming.
Grade: B
Grade: B
Good comedy
sambuca12 January 2001
This is one of those movies that, unless you have too many expectations, turn out to be quite entertaining. It stars Richard Pryor as an ex-con who agrees to transport a teacher (Cicely Tyson) and eight misfit children from Philadelphia to Washington, as part of his probation. Richard Pryor is known for his abilities in physical comedy. Surprisingly enough, the best part of the film are the more emotional scenes, where he gets to interact with the children. However, there are some other scenes, clearly going for the big laughs, that are not as successful, like the one with the KKK or the ones in the bank near the end of the film, and they threaten to spoil the fun. "Bustin' loose" is a good comedy, although it would have been even better if the script had relied more on Pryor's relationship with the children than on the physical comedy parts. It is definitely not a masterpiece, but if you need an evening of relaxation in front of the TV, then this film is for you.
Rating: 7/10, or B1
Rating: 7/10, or B1
Still a Lovable Film!
Sylviastel30 April 2007
Let's face it, Cicely Tyson and Richard Pryor play an unlikely pair. Cicely plays a good-hearted social worker who is determined to transport a school bus-load of abandoned orphans across the country to a farm with animals. She gets Richard Pryor's character who plays an ex-con who redeems himself in this film. Of course, Tyson and Pryor are quite simply marvelous in roles that would have otherwise failed. I know if I wanted somebody that would be Cicely who plays Vivian Perry whose heart and mind are always in the right place. While Pryor's character feels like a failure, she and the kids inspire him as well he inspires them. It's not a wholesome after-school special but it's touching at moments to see the outcasts look and treat upon each other as friends and family because they could have treated this film like silly film but it's a serious film about serious problems and they do it admirably.
Funny
Michael_Elliott24 May 2008
Bustin' Loose (1981)
*** (out of 4)
Richard Pryor plays a con man who is blackmailed by his probation officer into taking eight troubled kids on a bus trip from Philadelphia to Seattle. Having been made in a politically incorrect time and featuring Pryor with troubled kids means you're going to have a great load of laughs but the film also has a heart of gold but more on this in a bit. As for pure laughs this is probably the best film I've seen from Pryor, although Moving is still my favorite movie of his due to it just being a personal favorite. This movie here features non-stop laughs from start to finish and it really gives Pryor a chance to act and he proves to be very reliable here. Pryor does a great job with the comedy and really delivers the jokes but what's most refreshing is seeing how well he does with the more dramatic moments. The film has a heart of gold but I think there are a few too many tender scenes meant to make the viewer get tears in their eyes. A lot of these dramatic scenes are pretty heartfelt but I think there are just too many of them. Pryor handles all of this very well though. Cicely Tyson plays the woman trying to save the kids and she's does a good job, although the romantic subplot with Pryor is pretty weak. There are numerous great scenes in the film including a great sequence where Pryor runs into the KKK but the highlight of the movie is certainly the scene where Pryor is driving the bus and three of the kids, acting like thugs, come up and start messing with him.
*** (out of 4)
Richard Pryor plays a con man who is blackmailed by his probation officer into taking eight troubled kids on a bus trip from Philadelphia to Seattle. Having been made in a politically incorrect time and featuring Pryor with troubled kids means you're going to have a great load of laughs but the film also has a heart of gold but more on this in a bit. As for pure laughs this is probably the best film I've seen from Pryor, although Moving is still my favorite movie of his due to it just being a personal favorite. This movie here features non-stop laughs from start to finish and it really gives Pryor a chance to act and he proves to be very reliable here. Pryor does a great job with the comedy and really delivers the jokes but what's most refreshing is seeing how well he does with the more dramatic moments. The film has a heart of gold but I think there are a few too many tender scenes meant to make the viewer get tears in their eyes. A lot of these dramatic scenes are pretty heartfelt but I think there are just too many of them. Pryor handles all of this very well though. Cicely Tyson plays the woman trying to save the kids and she's does a good job, although the romantic subplot with Pryor is pretty weak. There are numerous great scenes in the film including a great sequence where Pryor runs into the KKK but the highlight of the movie is certainly the scene where Pryor is driving the bus and three of the kids, acting like thugs, come up and start messing with him.
A Feel-Good Story
view_and_review30 June 2019
Richard Pryor plays Joe Braxton, a multiple time loser that failed yet again at trying to score. This time he tries to steal from an electronics store. The judge gives him 10 years probation in lieu of prison. His probation officer, Donald (Robert Christian), has a deal for Joe: take his girlfriend, Vivian (Cicely Tyson), and a busload of discarded youth to Washington state or face prison time. Reluctantly, Joe agrees.
I see that Pryor wrote and produced this feature. It is not his funniest work but it is probably his most positive work. Just like him, the kids were considered losers. Vivian saw more in the kids and she would begin to see more in Joe as well.
It's a feel good story even if the cacophony of the children got irksome. It's hard to hate this movie even if I didn't love it.
I see that Pryor wrote and produced this feature. It is not his funniest work but it is probably his most positive work. Just like him, the kids were considered losers. Vivian saw more in the kids and she would begin to see more in Joe as well.
It's a feel good story even if the cacophony of the children got irksome. It's hard to hate this movie even if I didn't love it.
An R-rated after-school special
mattymatt4ever22 April 2002
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)
My score: 5 (out of 10)
I guess eventually it grew on me like a fungus.
mark.waltz15 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I love movies that deal with crossing the country. I've done it myself several times, and I love the vistas that appear out of nowhere. I can relate doing it as a teenager so I can feel the enthusiasm of the unique group of kids on the bus with ex-convict Richard Pryor and their teacher and mentor, Cicely Tyson. The first half of the movie is very difficult to like, with prior going out of his way to try to steal a big screen TV and getting cost. His parole officer, Robert Christian, makes him take on the job of driving the bus from Philadelphia to Washington State to Tyson's family farm where she wants to take the children for a vacation they'll never forget. The kids are difficult to handle and Tyson isn't exactly easy to deal with, making him sleep on the bus when they stop at a hotel because there aren't enough rooms and later putting him in positions that are rather uncomfortable in her efforts to get this bus which is ready to fall apart at any minute to its destination.
While the situation with the KKK turns out to be very funny (their white robes get plastered with mud when they turn out to be good samaritans and help the bus get unstuck), the scene with a young Asian girl who used to be a nine year old prostitute is rather awkward as she makes a pass at Prhot. It's noble though to see Pryor tell her in a rather assertive way that she should stop making passes at men just because she feels that's what she needs to do to get them to like her. The kids are a variety of races and in spite of frequent arguments seem to genuinely like each other, although a few of them have major behavioral issues. Pryor risks pneumonia, his freedom and his life over and over again, and in spite of his shady ways, is genuinely a likeable character. My jaw dropped when he was walking through the rain to find help to get the price on stock and found himself walking with a bunch of klan members, but the payoff had me in stitches. That's when my feelings about the film slowly began to change.
Pryor and Tyson are certainly legendary actors, I just see them together it was at first perplexing because they don't seem like they would sit together, but eventually they do. Tyson, best known for mostly dramatic roles, gets to break loose of her serious demeanor, showing that in certain types of situations, she can be funny on screen. The kids slowly began to grow on me, bratty because that's how kids are, but showing a lot of heart and decency because that's also how kids are. This is the type of film where the joy grows, and loving the country myself, it was nice to relive my own joy of nature by seeing it through a youngster's eyes again. It's like imagining W. C. Fields and the Little Rascals working together, but with some four letter words thrown in and perhaps a bit of reality too. So with a little bit of patience, this film ends up being better-than-expected, a few irritating moments, one or two heartbreaking and one or two touching. Through his screenplay and direction, Pryor shows a lot about himself outside of his public image, and he gets to turn his character around in the process.
While the situation with the KKK turns out to be very funny (their white robes get plastered with mud when they turn out to be good samaritans and help the bus get unstuck), the scene with a young Asian girl who used to be a nine year old prostitute is rather awkward as she makes a pass at Prhot. It's noble though to see Pryor tell her in a rather assertive way that she should stop making passes at men just because she feels that's what she needs to do to get them to like her. The kids are a variety of races and in spite of frequent arguments seem to genuinely like each other, although a few of them have major behavioral issues. Pryor risks pneumonia, his freedom and his life over and over again, and in spite of his shady ways, is genuinely a likeable character. My jaw dropped when he was walking through the rain to find help to get the price on stock and found himself walking with a bunch of klan members, but the payoff had me in stitches. That's when my feelings about the film slowly began to change.
Pryor and Tyson are certainly legendary actors, I just see them together it was at first perplexing because they don't seem like they would sit together, but eventually they do. Tyson, best known for mostly dramatic roles, gets to break loose of her serious demeanor, showing that in certain types of situations, she can be funny on screen. The kids slowly began to grow on me, bratty because that's how kids are, but showing a lot of heart and decency because that's also how kids are. This is the type of film where the joy grows, and loving the country myself, it was nice to relive my own joy of nature by seeing it through a youngster's eyes again. It's like imagining W. C. Fields and the Little Rascals working together, but with some four letter words thrown in and perhaps a bit of reality too. So with a little bit of patience, this film ends up being better-than-expected, a few irritating moments, one or two heartbreaking and one or two touching. Through his screenplay and direction, Pryor shows a lot about himself outside of his public image, and he gets to turn his character around in the process.
Great overlooked drama/comedy from Pryor
dworldeater20 December 2019
Bustin' Loose is nice movie starring Richard Pryor that is a cross country comedy that is warm hearted without coming across corny and still be funny on top of that. Richard Pryor is a thief on parole and as a condition of his parole, his parole officer has him drive a bus full of special ed kids from Phiily to rural Washington to live on teacher's aunt and uncle's farm after funding was cut and the kids need a place to go. Throughout the course of the trip, bus driver Joe Braxton grows to dig the kids and bonds with them. The characters in this movie are no angels and are portrayed in a more realistic manner than some fluff that Disney or The Hallmark Channel would crap out. They are presented as real people with real problems, who aspire to travel to Washington for a better life. There still is a lot of really funny stuff in this movie and Richard Pryor is one of the best comic actors of all time, but he also delivers on the more emotional scenes as well, really making Joe Braxton a likeable guy.
This isn't a crazy funny movie, or one of Pryor's best, but it is fun and heart warming.
kevin_robbins20 September 2021
Bustin' Loose (1981) is a movie I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a man whose parole officer makes him help the parole officer's girlfriend move across country with 8 troubled children she supports. The man is told he just needs to drive the bus with the kids and girlfriend but once the trip starts he quickly discovers he has bit off more than he can chew. This movie is directed by Oz Scott (The Jeffersons) in his directorial debut and stars Richard Pryor (Harlem Nights), Cicely Tyson (The Help), George Coe (The Stepford Wives) and Peggy McCay (General Hospital). This movie has so many great memorable sequences and seeing Richard Pryor in his element creates so must nostalgia. The courtroom scene and blind kids on the bus sequences are legendary and absolutely hilarious. Pryor does a great job of feeling authentic and genuine in both his help and frustrations as the storyline evolves. The circumstances are a bit uneven with some being funny and fun and some being a bit cheesy. This isn't a crazy funny movie, or one of Pryor's best, but it is fun and heart warming. I would strongly recommend seeing this and score it a 6.5/10.
Another Great Comedy Starring Richard Pryor
soranno5 November 2002
Richard Pryor portrays con men so often yet he always manages to make it funny. The plot this time around involves con man Pryor being on the run and taking the time to escort a group of kids and their keeper (Cicely Tyson) cross country by means of a bus that he has to drive. The comic hilarity that can be exepcted from Pryor is evident here.
very funny
capncruller25 May 2014
This movie may appear to be a family movie, but yet Richard Pryor's Braxton character is clearly not a family man. He swears and yells at children, slaps them, teaches them strip poker and is constantly smoking stogies.
I found myself really enjoying this movie though. There are quite a few laugh out loud moments. I especially liked when the Miss Perry character told Braxton to be careful with his cigar because he might set himself on fire!
The movie even features comedian Paul Mooney in a small cameo at the beginning.
I found myself really enjoying this movie though. There are quite a few laugh out loud moments. I especially liked when the Miss Perry character told Braxton to be careful with his cigar because he might set himself on fire!
The movie even features comedian Paul Mooney in a small cameo at the beginning.
Richard Pryor is great, his jokes are spot on, but the supporting kid actors and the childish story are a bit annoying. Perhaps best suited for children?
imseeg5 February 2020
Richard Pryor produced and wrote this movie, so he had full control. That's why his jokes and acting are top notch, but unfortunately the silly story with taking kids on a bus tour falls flat, for me as an adult that is to say. But perhaps kids would love this movie, because most of the jokes are right in your face, the way kids seem to like comedy. Richard Pryor falling in a pool of dirt. That sort of jokes. But there are some good racist jokes as well, although still packaged in a children's friendly version.
Also recommended for Richard Pryor fans, because he wrote all of his own jokes and you can tell that Pryor is in his element, because of that full control of writing and acting. The way he shouts, swears and panics is as good as in his stand up comedy work, although without the gross adult jokes. It's basically still a friendly children's comedy, which some subtle jokes for the adults mixed in as well.
I gave it barely 6 stars because Richard Pryor is great, but the movie as a whole didnt keep me excited till the end.
Also recommended for Richard Pryor fans, because he wrote all of his own jokes and you can tell that Pryor is in his element, because of that full control of writing and acting. The way he shouts, swears and panics is as good as in his stand up comedy work, although without the gross adult jokes. It's basically still a friendly children's comedy, which some subtle jokes for the adults mixed in as well.
I gave it barely 6 stars because Richard Pryor is great, but the movie as a whole didnt keep me excited till the end.
Delightful Surprise
gcd708 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
"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
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
Pleasant.
xpat-5519223 November 2023
I just first watched this movie last night - 41-years after it was made - and found it an easy pleasant watch that caused no stress or strain or pain for your brain.
Richard Pryor was Richard Pryor whilst the lovely Cicely Tyson was the beauty for the beast.
The easy plot saw the crim-cum hero come up trumps when driving a busload of young delinquents as a parolee under duress.
Slapstick humour even included Dan Quayle's Alma Mater of the KKK getting made monkeys of themselves with Pryor's lead.
If you want a laidback movie watch this one for a some good laughs and good humour.
Recommended for a 90-min nothing-to-do break.
Richard Pryor was Richard Pryor whilst the lovely Cicely Tyson was the beauty for the beast.
The easy plot saw the crim-cum hero come up trumps when driving a busload of young delinquents as a parolee under duress.
Slapstick humour even included Dan Quayle's Alma Mater of the KKK getting made monkeys of themselves with Pryor's lead.
If you want a laidback movie watch this one for a some good laughs and good humour.
Recommended for a 90-min nothing-to-do break.
80's Kid Classic
meldoy2314 October 2006
I watched this movie often as a kid growing up in the 80's and it was and still is one of my favorite movies. It's one of those movies where when it ends, you actually feel better than when it began. You go on a journey with these people and actually find out a few things about yourself along the way. I'm thinking that most people can relate to at least one of the characters in the movie and even though it is similar to an after school special, it's so much better than that due to the acting of both Richard Pryor and Cicely Tyson. The children are great as well, when needed. I LIKED the music score. There were some scenes that I could have done without, particularly in the last 30 minutes of the movie, but overall I could watch this movie on a Sunday afternoon, before Goonies and after The Toy.
Warm-hearted comedy
BDeWittP2 May 2006
When a movie can make you laugh and cry, it's a rare quality. Many people don't have a high tolerance for adults, but are suckers for kids. I am proud to say that I fall into this category, as does Richard Pryor's character Joe Braxton in this film. He plays a foul-mouthed, ill-mannered ex-con, who is, let's face it, a bum. For some reason, though, he is likable. Maybe it's because he still has an optimistic outlook about his life. His biggest strength, which almost proves to be his undoing, is that he is willing to do more for others than he is for himself. This is what I felt made "Bustin' Loose" such a touching movie.
Joe Braxton is a parolee who has been given a second chance to rebuild his life. His only problem is, he can't really seem to find a purpose on the outside, and just doesn't know how to make it. In a hilarious courtroom scene where he is about to be sent back to prison for larceny, in violation of his parole, he is given ten years probation by the judge.
His parole officer, however, is amused, but not at all fooled by the courtroom shenanigans. So, as a favor, his parole officers needs a favor. A group of disadvantaged Philadelphia youths have had their school closed as a result of budget cuts. Cicely Tyson, who portrays her character brilliantly, plays their supervisor who is also the girlfriend of Joe's parole officer. She and the kids need to be driven across country to her family's Washington state farm to start over. Joe is asked to drive the bus and return in 15 days.
This is where the movie takes a wonderful turn for the better and gives some pleasant surprises. It could have been a silly Disney-like movie with cute, fake dialog that cuts corners and makes you want to throw up at the end (like Dead Poet's Society). Instead of all that nonsense and garbage, we heard words of truth, and witness some convincing changes.
At first, Joe sees this as a chore and the kids as nothing but a bunch of losers. Later though, he begins to bond with the kids and discovers, as does the kids, that he actually really does care about them because he doesn't want what happened to him to happen to them. He finds a purpose, and a reason to be happy. He becomes a pleasant, and is actually a warm person after all who just needed the right people to bring out the goodness in him. Perhaps this is because his love for the kids makes him forget about his problems and worry about their well-being.
There are some tough scenes, too. There is boy who has experienced a tragedy, not intentionally, but because of a problem he cannot help. Another one of the youths solicits prostitution to Joe. There are also questions and doubts about whether the kids will be able to keep their new home, or if Joe can actually make it on the outside. All of these scenes show reality and how people find the courage to deal with their own lives. Richard Pryor plays these scenes with a quiet, subtle brilliance. He is not just a funny comedian, he is also a good actor.
The only flaw the movie has is that it seems to lack some little scenes to make Prior's character develop his relationship and bond together with the kids and Cicely Tyson's character. Don't get me wrong, it's usually better to keep an audience wanting more than to drag a movie out, but I think this one may have benefited from more running time. The transition from con to nice guy seemed just a little bit too quick, and I think this could have been the difference between making this a great movie instead of a good one. It's as though the screenwriter didn't sit down and rewrite quite thoroughly enough. That, however, is easily forgiven and forgotten.
I will not give away what happens, I will say only this: I was pleasantly surprised because this movie wasn't just a comedy. There are a lot of serious scenes, too, and the ending is very perceptive about human behavior. Bustin' Loose is not a masterpiece, but it is an entertaining, convincing movie, and it works because of the performances. If you pay attention, you'll be surprised at how moved you are at the end of this delightful comedy, and you might even shed a tear.
Joe Braxton is a parolee who has been given a second chance to rebuild his life. His only problem is, he can't really seem to find a purpose on the outside, and just doesn't know how to make it. In a hilarious courtroom scene where he is about to be sent back to prison for larceny, in violation of his parole, he is given ten years probation by the judge.
His parole officer, however, is amused, but not at all fooled by the courtroom shenanigans. So, as a favor, his parole officers needs a favor. A group of disadvantaged Philadelphia youths have had their school closed as a result of budget cuts. Cicely Tyson, who portrays her character brilliantly, plays their supervisor who is also the girlfriend of Joe's parole officer. She and the kids need to be driven across country to her family's Washington state farm to start over. Joe is asked to drive the bus and return in 15 days.
This is where the movie takes a wonderful turn for the better and gives some pleasant surprises. It could have been a silly Disney-like movie with cute, fake dialog that cuts corners and makes you want to throw up at the end (like Dead Poet's Society). Instead of all that nonsense and garbage, we heard words of truth, and witness some convincing changes.
At first, Joe sees this as a chore and the kids as nothing but a bunch of losers. Later though, he begins to bond with the kids and discovers, as does the kids, that he actually really does care about them because he doesn't want what happened to him to happen to them. He finds a purpose, and a reason to be happy. He becomes a pleasant, and is actually a warm person after all who just needed the right people to bring out the goodness in him. Perhaps this is because his love for the kids makes him forget about his problems and worry about their well-being.
There are some tough scenes, too. There is boy who has experienced a tragedy, not intentionally, but because of a problem he cannot help. Another one of the youths solicits prostitution to Joe. There are also questions and doubts about whether the kids will be able to keep their new home, or if Joe can actually make it on the outside. All of these scenes show reality and how people find the courage to deal with their own lives. Richard Pryor plays these scenes with a quiet, subtle brilliance. He is not just a funny comedian, he is also a good actor.
The only flaw the movie has is that it seems to lack some little scenes to make Prior's character develop his relationship and bond together with the kids and Cicely Tyson's character. Don't get me wrong, it's usually better to keep an audience wanting more than to drag a movie out, but I think this one may have benefited from more running time. The transition from con to nice guy seemed just a little bit too quick, and I think this could have been the difference between making this a great movie instead of a good one. It's as though the screenwriter didn't sit down and rewrite quite thoroughly enough. That, however, is easily forgiven and forgotten.
I will not give away what happens, I will say only this: I was pleasantly surprised because this movie wasn't just a comedy. There are a lot of serious scenes, too, and the ending is very perceptive about human behavior. Bustin' Loose is not a masterpiece, but it is an entertaining, convincing movie, and it works because of the performances. If you pay attention, you'll be surprised at how moved you are at the end of this delightful comedy, and you might even shed a tear.
Ultimately, children need to have an adult that has their back
JerryrFlanagan3 January 2023
Movie fans think this film is about a criminal that drives school children across the united states in a school bus. This script goes way deeper than that within the story lines for each underprivileged child on that bus. The heroic nature of their school teacher, Ms. Vivan, goes beyond just taking care of them in their time of need. They become family on a cross-country road trip of salvation while learning how to live life in an unforgiving world. The film script shows how kind and generous adults can be when they truly see how unfortunate circumstances impact children. Ultimately, children from all walks of life need to have an adult that has their back through every stage in life.
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