Movies of the 80s: The Regrettable Comedy of 'Coast to Coast'

Coast to Coast

Directed by Joseph Sargent

Written by Stanley Weiser

Starring: Robert Blake, Dyan Cannon

Release Date: October 3, 1980

In the motion picture "Coast to Coast", a wealthy woman with a penchant for laughter (portrayed by Dyan Cannon) eludes the confines of an asylum and ventures westward, joining forces with a tired trucker (Robert Blake) who is transporting cattle.

Critical Reception

Roger Ebert, writing for his self-titled column, commended Dyan Cannon's performance despite the overall shortcomings of the film. He noted, "She’s really coming into her own in the movies lately – in Heaven Can Wait and Honeysuckle Rose and now Coast to Coast. These films have all exploited her vibrant energy, yet they fall short of fully developing the characters she could portray. Regrettably, she possesses everything necessary to render this film memorable, save for adequate dialogue, scenarios, and a thoroughly conceived character."

Mike Hughes of Gannett News extolled the film's soundtrack, suggesting that it might be the only salvageable aspect of the production: "You just might want to purchase the soundtrack and skip the movie."

Conversely, Dale Stevens of the Cincinnati Post expressed profound dislike for the film, critiquing everything from the volume to the performances: "The egregious shrillness of Dyan Cannon is devastating, and the vague utterances of Robert Blake only exacerbate the disarray of this so-called comedy."

Elston Brooks relayed an anecdote about Robert Blake advocating for the film's release during an appearance on The Tonight Show, where Brooks concluded that Blake's promotional clip merely underscored the studio's prudent decision to delay its release.

Richard Shepard of The New York Times succinctly summarized his thoughts: "What can one say? Coast to Coast appears and vanishes, leaving the audience almost immediately craving something more substantial."

Critic Ed Arnone wrote in The Olympian: "... there's always the feeling that something's missing when you're watching Coast to Coast. And, when it's over, you're sure something's missing--a good ending to bring it all together and fill in the porous plot."

Nevertheless, Joe Baltake of the Philadelphia Daily News praised the film enthusiastically: "Coast to Coast: Laughs Galore on this trip."

Film Production and Trivia

The production budget remains undisclosed, though it is known that the film garnered slightly over $4.4 million at the box office.

A notable tidbit: Dyan Cannon undertook rigorous training to drive a tractor-trailer, stating, "In a whimsical romantic chase such as this, one must fully immerse oneself and manage the challenges, like mastering the operation of a massive, thirty-ton tractor-trailer with thirteen gears. We could have simulated the driving, but experiencing it firsthand was crucial to genuinely portraying Madie's command of the vehicle."

Originally envisioned as a drama, the script was reoriented towards comedy following Robert Blake's involvement and subsequent feedback.

Coast to Coast didn't win any awards, because it's not very good, but it was nominated for one dubious award. Leading actor Robert Blake received a Golden Raspberry nomination at the 1980 Razzie Awards for Worst Actor. He didn't win. Instead, the award went to Neil Diamond in The Jazz Singer.

Availability

Coast to Coast currently lacks a rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has received a modest 5.1 out of 10 from viewers on IMDb.

While the film is absent from mainstream streaming rental services, it is accessible free of charge through a fan upload on YouTube, watch it for yourself and let us know what you think of Coast to Coast.

Do you love the movies of the 1980s, check out our YouTube channel, Movies of the 80s for short-form videos covering the most beloved, and most forgotten movies of the greatest decade ever, the 1980s. Find the channel linked here: Movies of the 80's.