Foolin' Around is a 1980 film

1980 in film

- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....

 directed by Richard T. Heffron

Richard T. Heffron

Richard T. Heffron was a film and television director.He worked on many television series such as The Rockford Files and films including Futureworld , Foolin' Around , the 1982 Mike Hammer film I, the Jury, Pancho Barnes , and La révolution française .-External links:...

 and starring Gary Busey

Gary Busey

William Gary Busey , best known as Gary Busey, is an American film and stage actor and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage...

 and Annette O'Toole

Annette O'Toole

Annette O'Toole is an American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is most recently known for portraying Martha Kent, the mother of Clark Kent on the television series Smallville.-Early life and career:...

. The film was shot on location in Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

.

Plot

College student Wes (Gary Busey

Gary Busey

William Gary Busey , best known as Gary Busey, is an American film and stage actor and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage...

) who comes from Oklahoma to a University in Minnesota, signs up to participate in a psychological experiment where he meets Susan (Annette O'Toole

Annette O'Toole

Annette O'Toole is an American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is most recently known for portraying Martha Kent, the mother of Clark Kent on the television series Smallville.-Early life and career:...

). The two are instantly attracted to each other. Besides the problem of their differing socio-economic backgrounds, Susan is also engaged. However, Susan's grandfather recognizes her fiance's opportunism and when he sides with Wes, their relationship is given more of a chance, in spite of the concern Susan's mother has about social status.

Susan's fiancee is Whitley (John Calvin). As events unfold, her grandfather (Eddie Albert

Eddie Albert

Edward Albert Heimberger , known professionally as Eddie Albert, was an American actor and activist. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1954 for his performance in Roman Holiday, and in 1973 for The Heartbreak Kid.Other well-known screen roles of his include Bing...

) places his millions on Wes' side of the table since Whitley's opportunistic streak is as apparent as the white stripe on a skunk. Maybe the lovers have a chance after all, even if Whitley's mother (Cloris Leachman

Cloris Leachman

Cloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...

) is hung up on social status.

Principal cast

Actor	Role
Gary Busey Gary Busey William Gary Busey , best known as Gary Busey, is an American film and stage actor and artist. He has appeared in a large variety of films, as well as making regular appearances on Gunsmoke, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, and Entourage...	Wes
Annette O'Toole Annette O'Toole Annette O'Toole is an American actress, dancer, and singer-songwriter. She is most recently known for portraying Martha Kent, the mother of Clark Kent on the television series Smallville.-Early life and career:...	Susan
Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...	Samantha
William H. Macy William H. Macy William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...	Bronski (as W.H. Macy)
Tony Randall Tony Randall Tony Randall was a U.S. actor, comic, producer and director.-Early years:Randall was born Arthur Leonard Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Julia and Mogscha Rosenberg, an art and antiques dealer...	Peddicord
Michael Talbott Michael Talbott Michael Talbott is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his co-starring role as Det. Stanley Switek in the 1980s series Miami Vice....	Clay
Eddie Albert Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger , known professionally as Eddie Albert, was an American actor and activist. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1954 for his performance in Roman Holiday, and in 1973 for The Heartbreak Kid.Other well-known screen roles of his include Bing...	Daggett
John Calvin	Whitley

Critical reception

Janet Maslin

Janet Maslin

Janet Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as the Times film critic from 1977–1999.- Biography :...

 of The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

gave the film a mixed review: