Stick

Stick

Year: 1985

Runtime: 109 mins

Language: English

ActionCrimeDrama

After prison, car thief Ernest “Stick” Stickley witnesses his friend Rainy’s murder during a drug deal. To evade mobster Chucky’s hitmen, he takes a job as chauffeur for millionaire Barry Braham and keeps a low profile. Stick begins a romance with Barry’s financial consultant Kyle McClaren, but must fight back when Chucky’s men track him down.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Stick (1985)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Stick (1985). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades provide a humid, marshy backdrop that frames the film’s tense chases and dangerous encounters. The landscape’s openness and waterlogged terrain heighten the sense of vulnerability for the ex-con protagonist. Its remote, untamed atmosphere mirrors the criminal underworld Stick must navigate. The setting serves as a crucible that tests grit, resourcefulness, and the will to survive.

🌿 Swamps 🗺️ Landscape 🧭 Survival

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:02

Main Characters – Stick (1985)

Meet the key characters of Stick (1985), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Stick (Burt Reynolds)

A recently released ex-con who relies on street smarts to navigate a world of violence and deceit. He shows resilience and a stubborn, protective love for his daughter Katie. His willingness to take risks demonstrates both resourcefulness and a readiness to confront danger head-on.

💪 Tough 🧭 Resourceful 👨‍👧 Father

Barry (George Segal)

A wealthy, eccentric businessman who hires Stick as a driver and provides him a more comfortable life. He acts as a stabilizing influence, offering a potential path to legitimacy and new opportunities. His enigmatic presence adds a layer of complexity to Stick’s new environment.

💼 Wealthy 🌀 Enigmatic 🤝 Ally

Kyle (Candice Bergen)

A financial consultant who serves as Barry’s business adviser and potential romantic interest for Stick. She is practical and composed, weighing risk and reward as Stick gravitates toward a more secure future. Her professional calm contrasts with the film’s violent chaos.

🧠 Calculated 💬 Insightful 💖 Independent

Chucky (Charles Durning)

A drug dealer who rigs a dangerous setup that unfolds into lethal consequences. He straightens his crooked path with arrogance, and his power struggle with Nestor rises to a deadly confrontation. Chucky’s misjudgments catalyze Stick’s return to action.

🕷️ Dangerous 🧨 Ruthless 🗣️ Conniving

Rainy (José Pérez)

Stick’s old friend whose impulsive decision leads to a fatal encounter. His fate acts as the catalyst that pushes Stick back into a life-or-death chase. Rainy’s role underscores the fragility of loyalties in the criminal underworld.

🤝 Loyal 🗡️ Impulsive ⚰️ Tragic

Moke (Dar Robinson)

An albino henchman employed by Chucky and Nestor. He is direct and physically imposing, often used to intimidate or eliminate threats. Moke’s taunting of Stick culminates in a high-stakes fall that marks a turning point in the pursuit.

🏋️‍♂️ Lethal 🗡️ Menacing 🕶️ Stoic

Nestor (Castulo Guerra)

A cartel boss with a chilling, voodoo-tinged flair who pulls strings behind the scenes. He manipulates violence to maintain control and sees Stick as a liability to be eliminated. Nestor’s power and paranoia escalate the danger surrounding Stick and his daughter.

🗺️ Power 🧙‍♂️ Menacing 🧩 Calculating

Katie (Tricia Leigh Fisher)

Stick’s teenage daughter, whose safety becomes central to his desperation to change his life. Their bond motivates Stick to resist the criminal underworld’s pull and seek a more stable future. Her presence grounds the story in family stakes amid chaos.

👧 Daughter 💗 Vulnerable 🛡️ Loved

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:02

Major Themes – Stick (1985)

Explore the central themes of Stick (1985), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗡️ Revenge

The narrative centers on Stick’s pursuit of those who harmed his friend and threatened his own future. Violence unfolds as a method to restore balance and keep him alive for his daughter. The film demonstrates how vengeance propels action, often at a steep personal cost.

👨‍👧 Family

Family becomes Stick’s primary motivation: protecting Katie and rebuilding a life for them both. The dynamic with his daughter drives restraint and sudden risk alike, shaping his decisions. Bonds with Kyle and Barry further complicate and enrich the sense of what family means in crisis.

♻️ Redemption

Stick seeks a chance to leave behind his criminal past and create a safer future for his daughter. The pursuit of money is tied to starting anew rather than continuing a life of crime. The story uses danger and confrontation to test whether Stick can redeem himself through action and responsibility.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:02

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Methodical Ex-Con Revenge Thrillers like Stick

Stories where a former criminal uses their skills for a focused and violent payback.If you liked Stick, explore more movies about ex-cons forced back into violence. These stories feature protagonists using their criminal expertise for focused revenge, blending tense action with a gritty, survivalist vibe. Find similar films about calculated payback and starting over against all odds.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a protagonist trying to live a quiet life after prison, only to be violently dragged back into their old world by a betrayal or attack. The plot follows their shift from evasion to a deliberate, often skillful, offensive, culminating in a final confrontation where their specific talents prove decisive.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the ex-con archetype, a tense and gritty tone, and a plot structure that moves from survival to methodical revenge. They deliver a specific experience of cathartic, competence-fueled violence from an underdog perspective.

Fast-Paced 80s Urban Crime Thrillers like Stick

The high-speed, street-level crime stories that defined a gritty cinematic decade.Fans of Stick will enjoy this collection of high-speed 80s crime stories. These movies share a tense, gritty mood, fast pacing, and plots that quickly spiral from a single event into city-wide danger. Discover similar films with that classic 80s action feel, straightforward narratives, and relentless momentum.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern is linear and propulsive: a single, violent event immediately sets the hero on the run. There is little downtime as the threat grows, moving from one dangerous encounter to the next. The story is driven by action and survival, with a clear villain and a final, explosive resolution that offers a hopeful, if hard-won, ending.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their decade-specific aesthetic, fast pacing, and straightforward plots centered on urban crime. They deliver a coherent experience of constant tension and immediate danger, reflecting a particular style of filmmaking that balances dark themes with cathartic, action-heavy conclusions.

Unlock the Full Story of Stick

Don't stop at just watching — explore Stick in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Stick is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Stick Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Stick, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Stick Summary

Stick Timeline

Track the full timeline of Stick with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Stick Timeline

Stick Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Stick that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Stick Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Stick

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Stick: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Stick

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