If you scout around a little bit here on IMDb you'll find Siskel and Ebert hating this film with vigor. They're really wrong IMO. The movie is worth watching. I'm not saying it's a comedy classic--there's a fair bit of dumb crap to wade through, and the last 10 minutes are weak--but its best moments are fun and interesting. For example, Eddie Albert's scene at the construction site with Gary Busey, at 1:14:00, is honest and powerful, yeah a bit melodramatic, but the actors keep it mostly real. Notice how Albert deliberately drops an apple, to show the height they're at, and then has another one ready to eat.
Annette O'Toole and Busey have definite chemistry. O'Toole is the making of the picture. This is some of her best work. She captures something essential about a young woman having trouble deciding about her future. I'm surprised that both Siskel and Ebert fail to see the quality of her performance. (The filmmakers missed a great shot by not adequately lighting her face when she invites Busey into the back of the van. The cinematographer, Philip Lathrop, should be docked a week's pay for that.)
Look for William H. Macy early in a small role; the scene is important because Busey needs to prove his mettle and his slight craziness, and does so. I laughed out loud at Tony Randall's work. Eddie Albert, who grew up in Minnesota, played two interesting Minnesota business leader types in his career: here and in "The Heartbreak Kid," 1972 version. (If you know the Twin Cities at all, "Foolin' Around" and "The Heartbreak Kid" are must-sees. The former is free on YouTube.)
