Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- energetic
- earnest
- sentimental
- nostalgic 1980s movie night
- sports movie marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film routine, muddled, and excessively cheesy, though its unusual arm-wrestling premise and accessible emotional appeal found some audience support.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lincoln Hawk pursues the world arm-wrestling championship while trying to rebuild his relationship with the son he left behind.
Lincoln and Michael travel with Lincoln's eighteen-wheeler on the way toward the Las Vegas championship.
The film makes professional arm wrestling, culminating in a major Las Vegas tournament, its distinctive competitive centerpiece.
Jason Cutler's opposition complicates Lincoln's effort to reclaim a meaningful place in Michael's life.
Films like Over the Top, and why
Rocky
shared underdog sports drama, working-class ambition, and emotionally direct father-son reconciliation
The Champ
shared road movie structure, strained parent-child relationship, and sentimental working-class melodrama
Vision Quest
shared sports competition, masculine self-reinvention, and accessible inspirational action-drama tone
Convoy
shared trucker milieu, road-bound action, and 1980s working-class spectacle
Movie Details
- Director
- Menahem Golan
- Release Date
- 1987-02-13
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (1934)
Cast
- Sylvester Stallone
- Robert Loggia
- Susan Blakely
- Rick Zumwalt
- David Mendenhall
- Chris McCarty
- Terry Funk
- Bob Beattie
- Allan Graf
- Magic Schwarz
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Over the Top about?
- A bereaved trucker enters a high-stakes arm-wrestling championship to earn money, independence, and a second chance with the son he abandoned.
- What is Over the Top like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Over the Top as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Over the Top violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Over the Top as mild.
- What did critics think of Over the Top?
- Critics generally found the film routine, muddled, and excessively cheesy, though its unusual arm-wrestling premise and accessible emotional appeal found some audience support.
- Which films are like Over the Top?
- Films with a similar feel include Rocky, The Champ, Vision Quest, and Convoy.
- How long is Over the Top?
- Over the Top runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Over the Top?
- In United States, Over the Top is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
