Over the Top (film)

"The world meets nobody halfway."

1987 drama and action film produced by Menahem Golan and starring Sylvester Stallone as Lincoln Hawk, a truck driver who is also a famed arm wrestler. Having walked out on his wife and son years ago, Lincoln is asked by his wife now in the hospital to take his son Michael home to see her before her surgery. At first Michael and Lincoln are like oil and water. Lincoln makes an honest attempt to bond. Michael eventually softens, until he gets home to learn that the mom died from complications and custody is being fought over by the his grandfather, who hates Lincoln's guts. Lincoln decides to put all his money on the line in a Vegas arm wrestling showdown to start over again. At some point Michael realizes that Lincoln truly does love him.

Panned by critics and barely turning a profit at the box office, the film has a great camp quality to it and does have its fans. The film really tries to make Stallone a super underdog a la Rocky to recapture some of that film series' magic.


 * Awesome McCoolname:
 * Lincoln Hawk
 * Bob "Bull" Hurley
 * Harry Bosco
 * The Smasher
 * Shit, every arm wrestler has a cool name in this flick.
 * Bratty Half Pint: Michael, Lincoln's son, is a little know it all who has no problems acting out and being unlikable no matter how much we are supposed to sympathize with him.
 * Chekhov's Skill: Good thing Lincoln taught Michael how to drive.
 * Cool Car: Lincoln's semi.
 * Covers Always Lie: Looking at the poster at the top of this page, one would probably be surprised to find out that this is not a typical Stallone action flick. It's actually a lot like Kramer vs. Kramer, only with ARM WRESTLING!
 * Disappeared Dad: Lincoln has been on the road for most of his son's life, driving a truck and arm wrestling. Subverted in that he regularly wrote to his son and wife, double subverted in that Michael never got any of his dad's letters. No solid reason is ever given for Lincoln's estrangement; when asked, he merely says "I made some mistakes."
 * Even Evil Has Standards: Jason Cutler offers to give Hawk half a million and a new semi if he will just leave town and leave him and Michael alone. Hawk refuses. Jason explains that Michael is the only family he has left and this way Hawk can be back to his normal life.
 * Ham to Ham Combat: Come on, the final showdown between Bull and Lincoln for the world championship, extreme closeups of each man grunting and sweating and screaming in slow motion! That was a total ham-off!
 * I Gave My Word: Lincoln agrees to his sick wife's wishes to meet his estranged son, even though the son hasn't seen or heard from Lincoln in a long time or the fact that the Grandfather hates Lincoln, Lincoln is going to see this through.
 * Large Ham: Bull Hurley, several of the opposing arm wrestlers in fact like Grizzly, but Bull is the biggest (no pun intended) example.
 * Masochist's Meal: One of Lincoln's opponents swallows a lit cigar and drinks motor oil before a match. He needed some Alka-Seltzer afterwards.
 * Secret Weapon: "Over the Top!" Lincoln's method of gaining leverage in some of his arm wrestling matches by slipping his fingers over the opponents.
 * Title Drop: It refers to the Secret Weapon listed above and is said throughout the movie.
 * Underdogs Never Lose: Well, Lincoln is played by Sylvester Stallone, so.
 * "Well Done, Son" Guy: Inverted. Lincoln spends most of the movie trying to win his son's respect.
 * What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?: Arm wrestling!