Mustache Man: The Best Burt Reynolds Roles

1. Lewis Medlock in 'Deliverance' (1972)

I know this is a really famous movie, but I still think it's underrated. It's a deconstruction of masculinity, and at its core is Reynolds, who plays a primal dude testing his mettle in the wilderness, which is testing him back. It’s a brutal, honest-to-God best performance that grounds the entire horrifying picture.

2. Bo "Bandit" Darville in 'Smokey and the Bandit' (1977)

The Bandit is the purest distillation of the Burt Reynolds star persona ever put to celluloid. He has charm, a fast car, and a problem to solve -- how to get some illegal beer across and border to collect some cash. It’s a four-quadrant lesson in knowing exactly who your star is and building a rocket ship for him to fly. The movie works because you never for a second doubt that this is exactly who Burt Reynolds is when the camera stops rolling. and you believe that he has a plan and a way out when the going gets tough.

3. Jack Horner in 'Boogie Nights' (1997)

Burt Reynolds was an amazing actor who took this role thinking it was something else and delivered something contemplative and beautiful. Jack Horner is the anti-Bandit. He’s got the mustache and the swagger, but underneath there’s a deep, sad longing for legitimacy and family. Paul Thomas Anderson's script gave him the material to show a vulnerability we’d never seen before. He should have won the Oscar.

4. Paul "Wrecking" Crewe in 'The Longest Yard' (1974)

No mustache here! But if you want a lesson in creating the perfect star vehicle, this is it. Burt Reynolds plays a disgraced pro quarterback who has to lead a team of convicts against the sadistic guards. It's The Dirty Dozen on a football field. And he gets to be an athlete, a smart-ass, and a leader all in one. Every beat is designed to make him look cool, even when he's getting his face smashed in. It's great.

5. J.J. McClure in 'The Cannonball Run' (1981)

This movie is basically a party on film, and Reynolds is the host. It’s pure entertainment, a victory lap for a guy who knew exactly what his audience wanted: to hang out with Burt Reynolds for 90 minutes. And this movie makes you feel like you're doing it.

Summing It Up 

Burt Reynolds was a larger-than-life actor who brought his presence to the screen in lots of funny and exciting ways. He could do drama, comedy, and action.

The guy just fit into these archetypes and brought a gravity to them that drew audiences in. He's sorely missed today, but these are great films to go back to again and again.