Heroes

1977 "Finding the one you love...is finding yourself."
6| 1h52m| PG| en
Details

A Vietnam veteran suffering from post traumatic stress disorder breaks out of a VA hospital and goes on a road trip with a sympathetic traveler to find out what became of the other men in his unit.

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Reviews

Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Jim Mullen Tate (TheFearmakers) Wanna see Henry Winkler beat up a barroom full of bikers without the use of his magical leather jacket? In HEROES he plays a goofy, manic, troubled Vietnam Vet who, after escaping from a mental institution in New York, travels across country, energized by bizarre plans to build a worm farm in Eureka, California, with the (hopeful) help of his fellow vets...Along the way, via bus, while pestering put-upon driver Val Avery, Winkler's Jack Dunne meets lonely, single, soon-to-be-wed Sally Field as Carol (the same year she'd be a reluctant fiance in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT), and the first of his "Nam " cronies played by soon-to-be-famous Harrison Ford, the same year he'd help The Rebel Alliance rescue a princess, here basically rehashing his AMERICAN GRAFFITI "Bob Falfa" character: but with issues, and zero backbone. Despite time being spent (with the trio) on his family's rural, white trash farm, and getting to see Ford shoot a machine gun, down Budweisers and drive a hot rod - it all merely serves as a catapult for the second half, when the inevitable romantic element between Henry and Sally sets in. Alas, Ford's Ken "Ace of Diamonds" Boyd could've been played by anyone. And the fact he's bullied and is afraid to compete on the race track, perhaps another actor would have fit better: for legacy's sake... Who knew that that incredible science-fiction fantasy he'd appear in would take off, and wimpy roles like this would suit him no longer... but it's Henry's vehicle anyway...As he weaves in and out of craziness whenever the story runs out of stream, which is most of the way through, his mental illness serves as a platform to not only ham it up with what feels like improv to bust up the surrounding cast and crew, but to charm Field, whose rudimentary annoyance eventually turns to love: Not sure, though, if the audience feels the same way...His sometimes grating bouts with innocently optimistic lunacy is often much too "cute" to be taken seriously, and Winkler as a veteran of any war is extremely difficult to believe. But most of any actor's genuine strength are in the intensity of their eyes, and when called for, he wields a pretty nasty glare. So for road movie fluff you could do much worse. And word has it that HEROES was much better when the Kansas anthem "Carry On My Wayward Son" closed the curtain. Well it is true that in any picture, one song can make a difference. (cultfilmfreaks.com)
Darrin As with the general consensus, I was shocked to find the omission of "Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas. Having originally seen this on t.v., the accompanying song had always stuck out in my mind. I assume copyright issues prevented the song from being used. Instead, we are subjected to a tone-deaf inducing song with horrendously awkward lyrics. As a whole, the characters were underdeveloped, and the acting was too laid-back. Winkler ("The Fonz" was one of my childhood heroes) and Field did not give it their all. As a buddy picture, it was an enjoyable watch. Otherwise, I came away with an unfulfilled feeling. Winkler is best suited for comedies.
moonspinner55 Henry Winkler is a bit awkward playing a mixed-up Vietnam vet with repressed memories of combat who breaks out of a mental hospital in search of a war-buddy who shares his dream of starting a worm farm (!). After causing a ruckus in a diner--which gets runaway bride Sally Field into big trouble (playing virtually the same character she did in "Smokey And The Bandit")--Winkler becomes involved in rabbit-hutch building (with vacant friend Harrison Ford) and race-car driving before falling in love with Sally, his new traveling companion. She tearfully ends her impending marriage over the phone while he comes to a dramatic resolution of Reality after getting a painful dose of the Truth. "Heroes" isn't much better than the average TV movie of the seventies, one with a built-in campy kick (say, Fonzie meets Gidget--with the addition of Han Solo!). However, despite some ludicrous dialogue, there are several strong scenes. Sally Field is her usual sassy self, and the emotional ending (with the Kansas song) is surprisingly sensitive and well-done. ** from ****
giishko When I saw this film I was quite young and it gave me a humanizing portrait of Viet Nam veterans for the first time. Harrison Ford's performance gave a great glimpse into the personal demons of the war, and coupled with Henry Winkler's fellow veteran offered a range of the complexities of the impact of the war and the responses of the public to our soldiers coming back. I thought it was much subtler than some of the other Viet Nam films of the era and portrayed more everyday people. As a kid in the seventies, veterans were always seen as men that were just walking around with the constant threat of exploding, one-dimensional beings of violence. The movie crosses my mind occasionally because of the impact on my youth but also more now because of the large number of veterans that will become a returning part of our society. I wonder if a movie like Heroes will have added significance because it didn't feature 'heroic' war activists but instead the mechanic next door and the kind misfit you meet on a bus.