Washed-up stock car race driver Brewster Baker (a solid and likable performance by country singer Kenny Rogers) makes a successful comeback with the assistance of six scrappy orphan kids who serve as his pit crew.Director Daniel Petrie keeps the enjoyable, if predictable, story moving along at a quick pace and maintains an amiable goodhearted tone throughout. Moreover, the kids are a colorful and engaging bunch of rascals, with especially stand-out work from Diane Lane as selfless and responsible ringleader Breezy, Anthony Michael Hall as the crafty Doc, and Robby Still as the foulmouthed Swifty. The sound acting by the supporting cast keeps this movie humming: Erin Gray as perky barmaid Lilah, Barry Corbin as corrupt sheriff Big John, and Terry Kiser as slimy jerk rival Terk. Charles Fox's flavorsome score and the catchy country music soundtrack hit the harmonic spot. Mario Tosi's bright cinematography provides an attractive sparkling look. Sure, this film doesn't do anything particularly fresh or surprising with its familiar premise, but it's done with so much genuine heart and warm humor that it still manages to be quite amusing, entertaining, and even affecting just the same.

I see Six Pack hasn't received high marks here, but this story of a race-track driver getting himself attached to a group of orphans who strip cars is a lot of fun. Personally, I have a lot of affection for this time period in films, between say 1973 and 1983, when life is portrayed very simple, slow, and laid-back, like in most of those Goldie Hawn films. It may not seem like much at the time, but's so enjoyable you can't not like it. Barry Corbin is the law who's looking for the six pack when they leave town with Kenny, but Barry has his own agenda and is not entirely on the up and up. And the kids have a hard time trying to break bad habits, so there's plenty to keep your attention. Don't worry about that. Also with Diane Lane and Erin Gray, this is a feel-good film where you just need to relax and enjoy the ride.

A former stock car driver attempts to make a comeback with six orphans hanging on his coat tails. Kenny Rogers gets a taste of parenting on the road as he gets adopted by six brothers and sisters without any direction in their lives, except a crooked sheriff who wants to take advantage of their unusual skill.As an actor, Kenny Rogers holds his own, and his interaction with the kids was good. Along with the growing relationship between him and the children is a young lady, played by Erin Gray, who has designs of her own on Rogers, but can't seem to get a commitment out of him.Another of the main characters is the only daughter, played by Diane Lane, who has become an accomplished actor on her own. This film came out just after I finished high school and she was, virtually, an unknown (but we all know how that's changed).As my one line summary states, this film is entertaining for the kids, and parents will even be able to tolerate watching it with their children (especially those who are stock car enthusiasts). 6 out of 10.

This movie played a few days ago on one of the old movie channels (Fox Movie Classics I believe). I had seen it a few years ago, but hadn't remembered much about it. It's not one of those movies that has much memorable about it.I felt the story had the potential to go places, but the acting was just not up to carrying it. I was disappointed in Kenny Rogers' performance (he should stick to singing). The kids were mostly blah, with the exception of "Breezy/Heather". But I also felt "Doc" and "Swifty" did a decent job.My son (who is almost 6) enjoyed watching this. He likes car racing, which was I'm sure his major attraction. And I enjoyed it for the most part too (it is a cute story). Some parents might not care for the boy (Swifty) cussing. He uses such words as "schit", "bastard", "damn", "hell", but never the "F" word.SPOILER...Brewster Baker (K.Rogers) is a down-on-his-luck race car driver. He is passing through a small Texas town and stops to fuel. During the stop, six kids strip his car. Brewster later chases down the culprits, rescues one from the river, and learns they are orphans. He also discovers that the local sheriff is in on their criminal enterprise. (The sheriff and his cohort deputy remind me a lot of Boss Hogg & Co. from Dukes of Hazard).Brewster is thrown in gaol but one of the kids (Swifty) breaks him out. (I found this scene humorous with Swifty toting a gun and trying to act like a gunslinger from some old west movie). Brewster flees town with the kids in tow and the sheriff in hot pursuit. But they all escape thanks to the resourcefulness of the kids who tampered with the sheriff's car.The kids get attached to Brewster and finagle their way into being his pit crew. And Brewster begins to warm to the kids also, but doesn't like the idea much.With the kids' help Brewster works his way back to a high position in the racing circuit. Things seem rosy until they meet Brewster's arch rival, Turk. It seems Turk is the reason Brewster lost out on his previous racing career. The kids pull a fast one on Turk, Turk and Brewster get into it, and in the last race of the film it seems Brewster is going to beat Turk and win the race. But, Brewster sees his kid pit crew being taken away by the Texas sheriff and gives up the race to save the kids. (Turk doesn't win BTW).The end of the movie shows Brewster marrying his girlfriend and keeping all the kids. (It's a nice ending).END OF SPOILER.My thoughts are they could have done so much more with this story. Some parts had the feeling that they were trying to copy stuff like "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Dukes of Hazard". They should have just done their own thing and forgotten about other programmes.On a positive note: There were a lot of good bonding scenes with the kids. Story-telling in the motel room, hunting for Breezy when she ran away, singing songs in the RV. And, although not well-acted, Brewster's relationship with the kids was exemplary...he acted the parental role (correcting Swifty's language, counseling Breezy, etc.), and still had fun with them (joking, stories). They developed his role well enough that you felt he was suitable to care for the kids.I'm giving a mediocre rating of 6 for this. Personally, I would have no problem with kids viewing this movie, but there is some mild language, and a couple of scenes (Breezy soliciting Turk in his trailer & Brewster's fight with Turk) that some may find inappropriate.This would be another of those rainy-day movies.