Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary (1997)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Beautiful, moving film.

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Hands On A Hard Body is a documentary about a contest where a handful of people compete to win a truck by standing for as long as they can. They must have at least one hand one the truck at all times and are not allowed to lean or bend over. The last one left after all others have given up wins the truck. These contests can last for several hours, some even going for days, and are one of the greatest tests of someone's patience, endurance, and willpower.To be honest, I didn't expect much going into Hands On A Hard Body; in fact I expected to be bored out of my mind. As the film opened and the first few shots came across the screen I was fully prepared for a potentially mind-numbing 98 minutes. What I didn't prepare for was that I might have a great time watching it. As the film rolled on and I started to learn about the contestants I was surprised to see that I was actually rooting for some of them, and then I realized something I could have never prepared myself for: I was actually enjoying the movie.I'm not usually a fan of documentaries because they depict real-world events and, to be completely honest, I don't enjoy reality. I like watching movies with original stories because I am given the opportunity to escape the dullness of everyday life and be taken to another, more exciting world. I especially enjoy a movie with an engaging story that absorbs me into its world and lets me get to know the characters because their struggles become my own, taking me away from my boring reality and drawing me into a more interesting one. Because documentaries are a depiction of reality I prefer to avoid them and watch the latest blockbuster instead.Hands On A Hard Body, however, is a rare documentary. From when the first contestants started dropping out to when the final few were fighting with all of their might I was on the edge of my seat, as if I were watching a blockbuster rather than a documentary. You got to know each contestant, decide which ones you liked or disliked, and then rooted for the ones that won you over, sharing in their struggles as you saw them strive and suffer to win that truck. There was one contestant in particular that I really identified with. As the film went on I was so absorbed into the story that I wanted to see this contestant win more than anything but was ultimately disappointed when they were not victorious. However, despite their loss I enjoyed every minute I spent with them.I wish there were more documentaries like Hands On A Hard Body, but not just because I want to be entertained; I want to be reminded that life is not always as dull as I think it is. Hands On A Hard Body showed me that there are moments when life is free of all stress and responsibilities, feeling less like a documentary and more like a summer blockbuster.

I originally saw this movie in Austin and almost fell out of my seat on several occasions from laughing so hard. Truly Texas. You can't miss this one! I was so surprised when I watched this movie. It has a great plot and the end is a real surprise. The human emotion and drama that unfolds as these contestants try and win a pickup truck is unbelievable not to mention hilarious. "Cars don't make money, Trucks make money." I believe that this film very much shows how good documentaries are made. Even though the filmmakers don't interfere so much in the film it is still interesting. Others film made in this style tend to be really boring - This is an incredible slice of Americana. Invaluable to anyone interested in East Texas culture and the diversity of peoples in this country. A masterpiece in its genre.

An unexpected look at an apparently simple contest. This movie has tension, humor, insight, and heart. For so many Americans the divide between making it and failing is a working car. In a small town we see what some people will do to win a fully-loaded new pick-up truck.One person here commented that the film exploits the poor people in the contest. I disagree. The people are presented as rounded individuals and the film includes interviews with the main characters, showing their viewpoints and not in a condescending way. The audience will find them amusing, but the tension comes from taking the contest seriously, and therefore, we take the contestants seriously too. We laugh at the human condition.It's a shame this DVD is out of print. We still need this film!

This is really a sad film, mainly for the desperate nature these people exhibit while trying to win a truck. The desperation and the desire is quite striking, considering how much these people endure. In the end, its more like a battle of wills, not only making a commentary on how possessive and materialistic we are, but what lengths we will go to due these tendencies.