User reviews

Predictable and clichéd as it may be, Continental Divide isn't a bad film. The performances are sincere, the mood upbeat, and the characters easy enough to root for. The story deals with a streetwise Chicago reporter having to get out of town for a while after incurring the wrath of a corrupt local politician. Is there any other kind in the Windy City? Anyway, his editor and the editor's wife think he should write a story about a mysterious female ornithologist living in the mountains of Wyoming. Apparently she has lived all alone for 4 years and has become the world's foremost expert on bald eagles. Predictably the reporter is skeptical of this assignment, but of course in the very next scene we see him stumbling up the side of a mountain, cursing the entire way. Naturally when the reporter and scientist meet, it isn't love at first sight. They bicker about this and that between shots of nature and occasional animal attacks. The reporter is sexually attracted to the woman, but it takes a while for her to dump her mountain man lover and warm to her new guest.

In some ways, this plot reminded me of Crocodile Dundee which I've seen recently. Only this time, the reporter mostly stays in the wilderness and HE is the fish out of water. This film clearly marked a turning point in Belushi's brief career. Here he was definitely trying to tone things down from his demeanor in previous films, and he pretty much pulls it off. He could have played just about any role had he lived long enough to do so. He does however look about a decade older than he actually was when this was made. The years of drug abuse were taking their tole. Blair Brown is fetching, energetic, and someone who could have had a bigger career. She is believable as the bird-lover, though the interior of her cabin is too LL Bean-ish compared to the rugged exterior we see in outdoor shots. Indoor and outdoor scenes were likely filmed in different locations. And the film uses the scenic Empire Builder route of Amtrack as the setting for a marathon love-making session by our two leads. Very romantic, indeed.

This film has some glaring lapses in logic, as many romantic comedies do. Do you really think that street muggers would recognize even the most famous of city beat reporters on sight as they rob him for his watch and wallet? How about prostitutes? These don't seem like the types that read newspapers too often. How often do hunters actually shoot at bald eagles? Not much if ever. Despite their reputations among city folk, most hunters have a great love and respect for nature and would never take a shot at an endangered symbol of our country. It does set up a scene with an interesting payoff, though. 6 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

I really enjoyed this movie. No, it is not the deep heady stuff, nor it is a slapstick comedy. It is a movie about two people living in different worlds that cross paths, fall in love, and so on. For Belushi, this role is as much of a course change as it is for his character when he goes into the mountains. This is as far from SNL, Animal House and The Blues Brothers and Being There is from the Pink Panther Movies and Dr. Strangelove for Peter Sellers. Blair Brown's character (Nell Porter) is totally hot in that special, wholesome, outdoors way. You can how a guy could fall for her.

All in all, this is a fine movie to rent for a night of popcorn, or maybe trail mix munching, with the family. Don't wrap yourself up too tight in trying to analyze every little nuance of the movie, like so many of the wannabe critics that inhabit these reviews. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

John Belushi - who would have turned 58 today - is remembered as Bluto Blutarsky ("Animal House"), Wild Bill Kelso ("1941"), Jake Blues ("The Blues Brothers"), and various "SNL" characters; all totally wacky. In "Continental Divide", he got what was probably his one serious role. Although most people pooh-poohed it, I didn't find it that bad. As a Chicago reporter developing a relationship with an eagle researcher (Blair Brown) in the Rocky Mountains, Belushi got the chance to say that he had one serious role before his untimely death. If that is the movie's only real strength, then so be it. It may be worth seeing just for that.

And if I may add one thing: people need to give "1941" another chance.

This movie is the REASON I moved to Washington State, even though it was filmed in Montana. When Nell showed Ernie "church" and the panorama of the mountains was shown, I literally had tears running down my cheeks. I was in an Atlanta movie theater. It is then that I made up my mind to come west. I've never looked back. It is all due to this movie. It is, without a doubt, my favorite movie of all time. I just wish Mr. Belushi were still with us. At least Blair is. I'd like to see much more of her in movies. Blair Brown is VERY, VERY underrated. She was wonderful in this film and the film itself should have gotten way more recognition. Just look at the difficulties the cameramen must have encountered for those climbing and coming down the mountain in the snow shots.

One person wrote that a bear entered the cabin. It was NOT a bear, but rather a mountain lion. The only bears in the movie were encountered when Ernie Souchak was climbing up the mountain with the guide, going to Nell's place. See--I do know it by heart.

Hats off to Continental Divide!!!

Enjoyable as 'The Blues Brothers' was, it didn't really get a chance to show the versatility of John Belushi's acting talent, or his quieter side. 'Continental Divide' does both - it's a love story which isn't outrageous or slapstick, but genuinely sweet and funny.

Belushi plays a reporter, Ernie, who takes a vacation from sniffing out corruption in Chicago's high places to get a story on a reclusive female scientist (Blair Brown), who is doing just nicely, holed up in the Rocky Mountains. Ernie isn't really the mountain type but as both characters evolve, he becomes more suited to the hard life.

Some corny moments exist in this movie, but it isn't bad at all. It feels a bit like a TV movie rather than a big budget cinema piece (although the locations are beautiful), but it does show there was more to Belushi than you might guess from watching 'National Lampoon's Animal Vacation' or '1941'.

RELEASED IN 1981 and directed by Michael Apted, "Continental Divide" stars John Belushi as Ernie Souchak, a popular Chicago columnist, whose controversial reporting compels his boss to send him to the scenic Rocky Mountains to interview a bald eagle researcher, Nell Porter (Blair Brown). Souchak is a city man who chain-smokes whereas Nell revels in the wilderness and hates journalists. Do ya think a relationship will blossom?

This is not a typical John Belushi comedy, but rather a romantic drama with some amusing touches. "Continental Divide" is one of John's only serious roles, and he does it well. It's also one of his last films; less than six months after its release John passed away from drug abuse at the too-young age of 33 on March 5, 1982.

I'm not a fan of romcoms, but I will occasional watch them if they're unconventional enough; and "Continental Divide" fits that description. There are a few minor laughs, usually tied to Souchak's awkwardness in the wilderness, but that's about it. Although light-hearted, this is indeed a serious film. It's not only entertaining; it surprisingly has a few notable things to say.

The most prominent part of the film is the hour or so where Souchak goes to the Rockies and stays with Nell. Most men will likely become infatuated with Blair Brown as Souchak falls in love with Nell. I did. Blair was 35 years old at the time of filming and has a very earthy look; she never wears make-up and never reveals a lot of flesh. She doesn't need to. She has a strong, independent mindset and yet, at the same time, is winsome and alluring. Her body has the necessary natural roundish-ness and curves that attract red-blooded men.

I heard some reviewers complain about the mountain man part (played by studly Tony Ganios). They argue that this is a meaningless and unneeded sequence. Actually the story is making a statement with this subplot. See my commentary below, if interested.

The first two times I saw "Continental Divide" I felt it was dubiously named. Much of the story takes place in the mountains near the Continental Divide, so what? The third time I watched it the title's meaning dawned on me (aduh): Souchak and Nell's lives are divided by half a continent; how could a long-term relationship possibly work? The ending is surprising and unconventional, but it works.

THE FILM RUNS 1 hour, 43 minutes and was shot in Chicago, Colorado, Washington and Los Angeles. WRITER: Lawrence Kasdan (observe how the kiss-his-wounds scene is reminiscent of the similar scene in Kasdan's "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which was released a few months earlier).

GRADE: B+

***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further until you view the movie).

Although Nell would occasionally meet the macho stud as a sexual outlet in the lonely wilderness, it's obvious she doesn't love the dude in a romantic sense. Their relationship is superficial because it fulfills only one purpose and doesn't go any deeper. As the story progresses Nell falls in love with Souchak, a man who is the antithesis of the studly mountain man in every way. Souchak isn't macho-looking at all; he's only of average height, if that, and isn't in very good physical shape. He is, however, an intelligent and expert writer, amongst other things. The message we can glean from this is that men don't have to be ultra-masculine-looking to win the heart of a beautiful woman. And you know what? It's true. Just look around. This is an encouraging message for guys who aren't the "tall, dark and handsome" type.

I am a John Belushi fan, he was only 33 when he passed away and we have only a handful of theatrical films (8 in total) to watch him in. In my opinion NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE and THE BLUES BROTHERS were his best and total classic comedy gold. But, this one is one of his better films. But, Belushi is not playing John Blutarski or Jake Blues here. His character is not going to jump off the screen with his wild, crazy kinetic energy. Personally, I think John was wanting to play much more serious roles or roles that people could take seriously. Sadly, in the end he was never really given that chance as he was still making comedies. Just to compare his life in film to a couple of other comedic actors who are thought of quite highly (including myself) beyond just comedy Belushi's length of his career to that of Bill Murray was if CADDYSHACK was his last theatrical film or if Tom Hanks' last theatrical film was before he did DRAGNET.

Here Belushi plays Chicago news reporter Ernie Souchak who doesn't mind ruffling the feathers of some of Chicago's powerful. This hard-hitting newsman may be swinging too hard going after Yablonowitz (Val Avery) who is hitting back. His boss Howard McDermott (Allen Garfield) sets him up with a new setting until this craziness blows over. He is going to the Rockies to meet Nell Porter (Blair Brown) who is researching eagles. It's Souchak's chance to get another story as well. Thing is Porter is not exactly aware of why Souchak is there. They are opposites coming from totally different backgrounds and have different strengths. I saw this with my wife and she thought Porter's character was amazing and I do not disagree when you see her in action after Souchak gets in serious trouble on a couple incidents because of his being born and bred in a city type of mentality. It is a romantic comedy and it was a role people I don't think were ready for back in 1981. Belushi being the love interest.

Written by Lawrence Kasdan, directed by Michael Apted and Steven Spielberg acted as one of the executive producers. Kasdan's script I believe in the end gives Belushi some of his funniest lines he ever delivered. They are sharp, witty and Belushi's character is a lot more down to earth and grounded than his more famous roles.

There are also some spectacular views within the Rockies to be seen. It also places you right in Chicago as well when you are there to really equal the footing of the setting of the film.

So if you like romantic comedies or are a John Belushi fan give it a shot you might enjoy it. Just beware the ending does NOT wrap everything up in a pretty little bow. If you can digest that it will help.

The film expects you to containerize different parts of a disjointed story which don't even intertwine. I was absorbed in the early parts about corruption in Chicago but that was all dropped and revisited an hour later. By that time I'd already found something better to do.

More disappointingly is that resolution of that part of the story is also rushed and settled so quickly that you'll miss it if you're not paying attention, but it wouldn't make a difference because it impacts no one and changes nothing.

The relationship stuff is 90% of the film and if you don't enjoy romance then skip this altogether.

I loved this movie when it first came out, and after catching it again recently, I was reminded of why I liked it so much. John Belushi is so good and so funny, it reminds me again of how sad it was to lose this comedy gem. And it's always great to see Blair Brown, one of our best actresses ever. Seeing her in her prime again is delightful. I was also impressed at how well it holds up over time. It's a shame it was critically panned and did poorly at the BO when it came out, b/c in a decade full of strange movies, this is a standout, and now, IMHO, a classic. And the best part? Being reminded that the Bald Eagle population in the early 80s was only 2,000 in North America, and now it's in the six figures. The mountain lion scene is a little far-fetched, but, goodness, that is a gorgeous cat.

John Belushi's screen persona is fixed in most peoples minds thanks to his performances in the raucous, knock-about comedies 'The Blues Brothers' and 'Animal House'. But here he gets the rare chance to put in a performance of exceptional depth and nuance. Belushi plays hard-boiled investigative journalist Ernie Souchak who finds himself a little too close to some major City Hall corruption, and so, on the advice of his editor and friend, he heads to the mountains of Colorado, to chill and to write a piece on a reclusive conservationist, played to exquisite perfection by Blair Brown.

The film begins as a serious piece on political corruption but soon turns into a charming, bittersweet 'fish-out-of-water' romance. The scenes set amongst the Colorado mountains feature some of the most breathtaking cinematography I've ever seen. The movie belongs to John Belushi though. He puts in a splendid mature performance, dominating the action like a major presence. It is through this movie, rather than his more famous works, that I feel we now sense the feeling of loss that his tragic early death gave the world of cinema. He carries all the weight and clout of a genuinely gifted actor, and his comic timing, even in the smallest scenes, is a joy to behold. Blair Brown, too, is another enigma. Why is she not much more famous than she is? Her performance is both tough and sexy, and she and Belushi make a great screen partnership. Throw into the mix one of the rare screen appearances from the great Tony Ganios, and this really is a movie worthy of rediscovery.

Watch for it.

One of the best novels ever, a true American movie. I really liked this movie, practically everything good, but mainly the photography, the sound mix, the final and the actors. Highly recommend.

John Belushi never had much chemistry with any of the women in his movies (not even with the female regulars on "Saturday Night Live"), which makes this attempt to turn him into a romantic leading man a curious one at best, an ineffective one at worst. Belushi plays a hard-news reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times, so popular around the city that cab drivers and working girls applaud him on the streets. After an expose on a crooked city councilman results in an attack on his life, Belushi's editor gives him on out-of-town assignment: traveling to the Rockies to write a piece on a female ornithologist doing research on bald eagles. This slick, mild amusement might have been perfectly acceptable as TV-movie, but is revealed to have no depth or character when blown up on the big screen. Director Michael Apted, screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and Steven Spielberg's production company all apparently wanted this to be a Tracy and Hepburn update, a benign, PG-rated family picture to bring Belushi into the mainstream. It's a noble attempt, and the star does show flickers of personality (he gives the finger in his first close-up). But there's nothing much happening between Belushi and Blair Brown, and Kasdan doesn't seem to know much about mountain life, to say nothing of how newspapers work. ** from ****

Continental Divide is by far John Belushi's greatest performance. Most people are quick to disagree, usually for one reason, and that is because they didn't find it believable. His audience was so accustomed to his characters, 'Bluto' from Animal House and 'Jake' from The Blues Brothers on the big screen and his usually wild and loud skits on SNL that they couldn't accept him as playing the lead in a romantic comedy. They couldn't and wouldn't accept this new role for him. For Belushi, it was his chance to break out of his stereotype and tackle a role that he felt would prove that he was more than just a skit on SNL. In my opinion, he did just that. Although this is not one of the greatest movies ever made, it certainly isn't as bad as some have claimed it to be. There are some dull moments, but for the most part Belushi comes off as a very likable and convincible guy. Belushi fans waited impatiently for him to get off a good one-liner or to blow mashed potatoes all over the place, but when that never happens they write it off as a bad movie and an even worse performance by John. I like to point this out: Let's pretend that this is Belushi's first movie, forget Bluto, Jake Blues or any character he ever did on SNL. With all of that in mind, watch the movie. John will surprise you by how well he plays his character. If this was in fact, the first movie Belushi ever did, it would of gotten way better reviews and press, and would have been more accepted by his audience, since they wouldn't have been expecting him to pull a Bluto stunt or break out into somersaults a la Jake Blues. The only thing that disturbs me in this movie is that his character makes several remarks about dying very soon. In 1981, it probably wasn't even given a second thought, but, unfortunately as we all know now, Belushi died very soon after this movie was released. Had John not died so soon and so young I think he would still be making movies today, unlike so many of his other SNL co-stars who seemed to have faded away into the woodwork. To make a long story short… Forget about Bluto, Jake and SNL and just watch the movie, you should really enjoy it.

Ernie Souchak (John Belushi) is a hard-nosed city reporter in Chicago. After corrupt cops put him in the hospital, his editor sends him out to the Rockies to do a story on bald eagle researcher Nell Porter (Blair Brown). She tries to kick him out but his guide has already left. They're stuck together in the wilderness for two weeks. The mismatch pair fight, discover each other and then sparks fly. The big problem remains the continental divide separating his city life and her outdoor research.

John Belushi was sadly underused as a romantic lead. It's too bad. He has a naturally charming personality without his usual broad comedic touches. Blair Brown has a cute granola style. They are a good match. The Lawrence Kasdan script has plenty of fun and allows the couple to develop the chemistry. This is a good rom-com and Belushi could have broaden his range. His early death put an end to it all.

Ernie is an investigative reporter who's a bigger friend to the people on the street(to the point of chatting calmly with two people who attempt to mug him) than the establishment... or the corrupt elements of it, anyway. He's working on bringing down crooked councilman Yablonowitz, and he gets beaten up for his trouble. Well, he gets mildly nudged, if going by what we see... I guess they couldn't afford a stunt double for that particular scene. Compelled to save his headliner's life(he has to sell papers, doesn't he?), his editor sends him to the Rocky Mountains for what's supposed to be a two-week period. Once there, he'll get an exclusive interview with the reclusive ornithologist Nell. That's the theory, anyway. She can't stand journalists any more than he can stand the wild. Over time, they warm up to each other, and we have a romantic comedy. So, we've got our standard fish-out-of-water, two-different-worlds setup, and over the course of it, they'll both come to like the other's universe(whilst preferring their own, showing integrity) as well as each other. This gets all the clichés, and really, with the possible exception(other than minor details) of the ending(for some, at least), you see everything in this coming a mile away. That, in and of itself, is not necessarily a hindrance to an enjoyable story(or we wouldn't still be doing new productions of Shakespeare and the like, where even if you don't know the entire thing, you know the gist of it... and one could argue that the classic theatre tragedy is meant to be clear in where it's going, to increase the emotional impact; you know where it's going, and you are powerless to stop it), it merely puts additional pressure on the handling of the material, the aspects that will vary based on the cast and crew, the period it's made, etc. Unfortunately, one of the main aims of this must be to be funny, and it quite simply seldom is. They try to give Belushi a dry wit, and while he does OK with it(nowhere near as perfect a fit as Joliet Jake), the lines are not that memorable(in general, the dialog is forgettable... it tries too hard, and somehow manages to be bland at the same time; it's actually kind of impressive). The film keeps both feet on the ground, with no outlandish events, and that does work in favor of it. One problem is the pace. It drags, and the one hour, 36 minutes sans credits feel like at least two full hours. The acting is pretty dependable. Our leads have chemistry and charm, and can be sweet together. This holds some attractive nature photography, and, you guessed it, a pro-environmentalist message which is obvious but not shoved down our throats, well, not all of the time. Not all of the plot lines are satisfactorily concluded. This does a better job of getting us to care about the characters than it does at garnering laughs, and it's worth noting that it does not put its foot squarely in either camp. Which is better, the great outdoors or the inner city? You decide. To each their own. There is some moderate language and intensity in this. I recommend this to fans of this kind of picture, the 80's and the people involved in making it. 6/10

"Continental Divide" was a shock to me in 1981. After seeing Belushi in films like, "Animal House", "1941", and "Blues Brothers", I was expecting to see something more outragous than a quaint romantic comedy like this. Sadly, Belushi is miscast in this film, and there are no romantic sparks between him and Blair Brown.

It is an average film, not bad. But seeing it once is enough.

This movie gives me one more reason to wish that John Belushi had taken care of himself, rather than diving into self-destruction. It shows that he had talent well beyond sketch comedy, or Animal House buffoonery. I wish he were still with us.

I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, and -- while not as comedic as most of the genre -- I think Continental Divide definitely qualifies. It's a great "opposites attract" film, and it works for me. The fact that each of the central characters has a vocational passion makes them all the more attracted to each other, despite their callings being separated by a lot of geography, and a lot of psychological differences. I love the scenery, I love Blair Brown, and I love the energy of Belushi's character. We can't bring him back, but I'm thankful we have J.B.'s films to watch forever.

I first watched this film at the late eighties, I was young at felt that touch... Now in 2020 being more mature and experienced and having split my life between a small town with some mountains around and the big city, I understand better the strangle between the nature and the big city for the individual. People choose one or the other for a numerous of reason, in majority without reflecting on it. Myself until now haven't choose, and living between them separate my time and experiences. The film is lousy, the acting is even worse, the dialogue sucks, trying not to add too more negatives although there are. But it has romance, it has humor_John Belushi's contribution on the film, it has strength_Blair Brown's contribution, it has commitment, the film has "feelings" which are trying to be subdued due to the fact they both live in separate worlds and has that touch which doesn't go old, romance. The type of romance which affect all ages, non-completed love and the effort to achieve it unsuccessfully or not. Gives you the promise you seek yourself! And that's make this film adorable.

I think this is Belushi's best work. Although he stays in a kind of character you might find on Saturday Night Live (when it was still funny) he develops the character in a way that Nell and you fall in love with him. BE WARNED, however I first saw this film after Belushi's death and found his character's frequent references to death disturbing. Michael Apted does well in the director's chair. Be sure to see some of his other work i.e. Coal Miner's Daughter, Gorky Park, and The World Is Not Enough.

This is of one the last works of John Belushi (Saturday Night Live, Blues Brothers) who had just started doing different projects such as the leading role in this movie. I watched this movie when it came out, and liked it. My husband was in graduate school doing graduate work in Ichthyology (studying fishes) and I was then a city Attorney trying to fit in with those weird people I though at the time: my husband was the only preppie guy, no one else were even half reasonably fashionable and some of his female classmates did not shave their legs nor their arm pits! One of his professors and some of the graduate students wore sandals all the time, and the Chair of the Graduate program wore a hat with a feather to an important meeting. That is what came to mind when I went to see this movie. I purchased the tape and have seen it many times! It is a fun story.

The script was written by Laurence Kasdam (The Accidental Tourist, Grand Canyon) Oscar nominee and Golden Globe Winner for The Big Chill. Steven Spielberg is an executive producer. This movie has all the ingredients for success but it did not receive the deserved attention.

Neel Porter, Blair Brown (Paper Chase, The Days and Night of Molly Dodd) is beautiful, feminine, eloquent, nicely dressed Ornithologist (studying birds) living in this primitive, quaint, yet charming mountain cabin in Colorado (a gorgeous State). Souchak is assigned to write about her. The city guy has trouble carrying his camping gear, and keeps falling backwards (funny scenes!) and the Ph.D. woman is just amazingly adjusted to the wilderness. Then they fight a lot. Then they fall in love. The plot is full of common places, but there plenty of room for laughter as those completely different people try to fit together.

My favorite scenes are: the going back and forth on the train, the relationship between Neel and the ex-football player, the bear in the cabin, and most of all Neel carrying Souchak down the slopes by herself. Eighteen years after I am now comfortable in the wilderness, and rather deal with animals than people; and my husband works in the city, two happy endings, but between Neel and Souchak there a continental divide.

Spielberg's the producer, Belushi's the star and Lawrence Kasdan of Star Wars fame is the writer. Its not the funniest film or the most exciting, but it is charming and builds to a very romantic ending. This is the most human and restrained acting that we ever got from Belushi and he would've been as successful as Bill Murray or Chevy Chase had he lived. You can totally see him prepping for those same goofy dad or romantic loser roles. You have to give a lot of the credit to his co-star Blair Brown who is very warm and believable throughout. I thought the script was a bit too cutesy and failed to have the zing of the Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn films its shadowing, but its still impressive as a story because the characters have chemistry. We spend most of the film with just two characters, but they don't become tiring. The film has the magic and sweetness you expect from Spielberg, but its not as visually interesting as it would be if he directed. I think the only thing dragging the film down was the directing which is very routine and almost TV quality. It would be ranked higher if it was more cinematic. But its a good movie and a bittersweet testament to the talent of a beloved young actor who died too soon.

Absurd and improbable, but so cute, it's hard not to love, I love these predictable romances, which start with a great dislike and estrangement, with a half-cop plot, the highlight was the comic situations on top of the mountain and an unlikely love triangle ... Sad, we lost John Belushi, a year after this film, at 33, of an accidental overdose, in which a chorus girl was convicted of giving the injection, sad...

If you think you're a John Belushi fan but you've never seen this movie, then I feel for you! You have no idea what you've missed. John Belushi was never more touching, poignant, witty, or incredibly COMEDIC than in this film. His timing and his tone was dead on. I just couldn't have adored this movie any more. I've seen it over and over again (and I look forward to seeing it again!) There are TONS of quotable laugh-lines in this movie. About every fifth line is a classic, in my opinion. Where were the critics' rave reviews when this film came out? What were they thinking? This is about as wonderful as a romantic comedy can get. Thanks, thanks, thanks to all who played a part in bringing it to us. And RIP dear John Belushi. We will always miss you.