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Heart Like a Wheel

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5.6/10 • 25

1983-04-011h 53m

Drama

She did something women were forbidden to do, and became a World Champion.

Shirley Muldowney is determined to be a top-fuel drag racer, although no woman has ever raced them before. Despite the high risks of this kind of racing and the burden it places on her family life, she perseveres in her dream.

Directors
Jonathan Kaplan
Writters
Ken Friedman
Editors
Ken Friedman, O. Nicholas Brown

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Bonnie Bedelia

    Bonnie Bedelia

    Shirley Muldowney

  2. Beau Bridges

    Beau Bridges

    Connie Kalitta

  3. Leo Rossi

    Leo Rossi

    Jack Muldowney

  4. Hoyt Axton

    Hoyt Axton

    Jack Roque

  5. Bill McKinney

    Bill McKinney

    "Big Daddy" Don Garlits

  6. Anthony Edwards

    Anthony Edwards

    John Muldowney

  7. Elliott Mason

    Elliott Mason

    Young Autograph Seeker

  8. Creed Bratton

    Creed Bratton

    Photographer

  9. Dick Miller

    Dick Miller

    Mickey White

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 22, 2025

6/10

Long before there was Ru Paul, there was Bonnie Bedelia delivering quite a gutsy performance here in her own drag racing biopic of pioneering driver Shirley Muldowney. Her racing involved cars but otherwise wasn’t a lot less catty as her attempt to establish herself in what was very much a man’s world proved difficult for her and those around her. Initially, her new husband (Leo Rossi) is supportive and encouraging but only insofar as it is a hobby that doesn’t get in the way of their family and their gas station business. She’s more determined than that though, and egged on by fellow driver “Connie” (Beau Bridges), soon finds herself separated and striving for success with her son John helping out. If you follow the history of this particularly American sport, you will know what happens over the next few years of high-octane action peppered with a little romance. That’s about it, really. There’s nowhere near enough race action - staged or archive - to really enliven this and so for the most part there is just loads of chat and plenty of tantrums as Bedelia does just about enough but Bridges struggles to make much impact. It quickly makes it’s point about chauvinism - in not just this sport, but also in it’s media coverage, but not really very powerfully and in the end comes across more of a fluffy celebration of her achievements rather than an assessment of just how tough it was to get to the top. We know she made sacrifices, but these are not really so prominently explored in this disappointingly light-weight drama that really just joins the dots and skims over most of her graft.

Media

  • Heart Like a Wheel poster
  • Heart Like a Wheel poster
  • Heart Like a Wheel poster
  • Heart Like a Wheel poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
sportsbiographydrag racer