Back Roads

Back Roads (1981)

  • 50% of critics liked it
    (8 reviews)

  • 34% of users liked it
    (1,544 ratings)

For his follow-up to 1979's Academy Award-winning Norma Rae, director Martin Ritt re-teams with that film's star, Sally Field, for this gritty romantic road comedy. Reportedly Ritt's homage to Frank Capra's films of the 1930s, Back Roads stars Field as Amy Post, a no-nonsense… More

R,
Directed By
Genres
Drama, Romance, Comedy
In Theaters
Mar 13, 1981 Wide

Critic Reviews

  • Tom Milne, Time Out

    Very good on local colour but a bit sugary in its attitude to the central relationship, it would have been better taking a bleaker cue from Tommy Lee Jones' admirably dry performance.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    If the movie had been willing to deal honestly with the plight of its characters, it wouldn't need to be clutterted up with eccentrics and hearts of gold.

  • Vincent Canby, New York Times

    Less a movie than an extended sketch, and it's to the credit of Mr. Ritt, his stars and Gary Devore, the screenwriter, that the movie is so much fun.

  • , TV Guide's Movie Guide

    It's a surprise to discover that this hackneyed, relatively dull road picture is the work of director Martin Ritt.

  • Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com

    A quiet and unassuming little comedy, a dual-gendered character study mixed with a low-key "road trip" adventure.

Read all 7 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • AJ V


    There are a lot of good actors in this movie, but the story lets them down. It's boring, predictable, and disappointing in the end. I didn't care for it, and I wouldn't recommend it.

  • jay n


    appealing performers but the script isn't great

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Cast

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