Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Sports drama

The Best of Times (1986): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Best of Times (1986) movie poster

The Best of Times is a 1986 sports drama directed by Roger Spottiswoode, starring Kurt Russell, Pamela Reed and R.G. Armstrong. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes and earned $7.8 million worldwide. Critics gave it 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.0/10.

IMDb rating
6.0/10
worldwide gross
$7.8M
Metascore
57
Loading streaming availability…
The Best of Times (1986) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 44m (104 min)
Genres
Drama , Sport , Comedy
Original language
Chinese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Best of Times About?

The premise of The Best of Times without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Two teenage friends, Fan and Meng-jie, find themselves working as debt collectors for a local gangster in their small town. Their experiences expose them to the dangerous world of loan sharks and illicit underground activities. As they navigate the increasingly high-stakes situations, their friendship is put to the test as they confront the perils of this precarious profession and the consequences of their choices.

The Best of Times Themes & Keywords

· 36 tags
  • football
  • quarterback
  • small town
  • football movie
  • urination
  • urban renewal
  • training montage
  • tiger costume
  • smoking
  • reference to william howard taft
  • rainstorm
  • radio broadcast
+24 more
  • prostitute
  • oil well
  • mud
  • monday night football
  • losing streak
  • knee injury
  • junk car
  • infidelity
  • high school sports
  • football obsession
  • father in law son in law relationship
  • exercise video
  • drought
  • desert
  • custom van
  • bowling alley
  • bowling alley lounge
  • bank manager
  • airbrush
  • aerobics
  • sports team
  • american football
  • reunion
  • title spoken by character
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

The Best of Times Cast

Kurt Russell leads the cast, with Pamela Reed and R.G. Armstrong. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode; 9 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Roger Spottiswoode

More films directed by Roger Spottiswoode, best-rated first: Under Fire, A Street Cat Named Bob, The Children of Huang Shi and Tomorrow Never Dies.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Best of Times Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Best of Times 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.0/10.

Plot

The Best of Times Plot Summary

What happens in The Best of Times from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Jack Dundee, Kurt Russell, is a cautious banker haunted by what he calls the most shameful moment of his life: a dropped, perfectly thrown pass in the 1972 high school football clash between Taft and Bakersfield that ended in a scoreless tie. Since then, the memory has shadowed every facet of his life; he works for his father-in-law, the Colonel, Bakersfield’s staunch supporter who reminds him of it every day. Fourteen years later, Reno Hightower, the fateful game’s quarterback, now struggles financially as a van specialist in debt to Jack’s bank. Reno’s marriage frays when his wife, Gigi, leaves him once more, dreaming of a bright new life in Los Angeles where she hopes to be discovered.

Full summary

The whole story of The Best of Times, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Best of Times Box Office

The Best of Times grossed $7.8 million worldwide. $7.8 million came from the US and Canada and $26,383 (0%) from the rest of the world.

1986 box office

Worldwide gross

$7.8M

US & Canada
$7.8M
International
$26.4K
US & Canada 100% Rest of the world 0%
Videos

The Best of Times Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Best of Times.

The Best Of Times ≣ 1986 ≣ Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Best of Times?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the profession of Jack Dundee at the start of the film?

Cars

Cars in The Best of Times

31 cars on screen, including the 1964 Chevrolet Chevy Van and the 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V.

All 31 cars
  • 1964 Chevrolet Chevy Van in The Best of Times 1964 Chevrolet Chevy Van Important role
  • 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V in The Best of Times 1960 Lincoln Continental Mark V Important role
  • 1962 Volkswagen Sun-Roof Sedan Typ 1 in The Best of Times 1962 Volkswagen Sun-Roof Sedan Typ 1 Important role
  • 1984 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Stretched Limousine in The Best of Times 1984 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Stretched Limousine Minor role
Details

The Best of Times Also Known As

18 alternative titles, including “Rocket Man” and “Tempi migliori”.

Also known as
  • Rocket Man
  • Tempi migliori
  • Rocket Man - Der Beste aller Zeiten
  • הימים הטובים
  • Los buenos tiempos
  • Most kapd el
  • Jack!
  • Une équipe du Tonnerre
  • Най-подходящото време
  • Najlepsze czasy
  • Лучшие времена
  • A Última Chance
+6 more
  • Kasan alimmainen
  • Ud at spille med de vilde
  • Најлепша времена
  • 베스트 오브 타임즈
  • Кращі часи
  • 黄金岁月

Seen The Best of Times?

FAQ

The Best of Times FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of The Best of Times, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Best of Times?

The Best of Times runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).

When was The Best of Times released?

The Best of Times was released on January 31, 1986.

Who directed The Best of Times?

The Best of Times was directed by Roger Spottiswoode.

More films by Roger Spottiswoode

Who is in the cast of The Best of Times?

The Best of Times stars Kurt Russell, Pamela Reed and R.G. Armstrong, among 9 credited actors.

How much did The Best of Times make at the box office?

The Best of Times grossed $7.8 million worldwide ($7.8 million domestic, $26,383 international).

How is The Best of Times rated?

The Best of Times has 6.0/10 on IMDb and 57 on Metacritic.

Does The Best of Times have a post-credit scene?

No. The Best of Times has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Best of Times in?

The original language of The Best of Times is Chinese.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app