Semi-Tough

Semi-Tough is a 1977 film directed by Michael Ritchie and starring Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Lotte Lenya, Bert Convy, and Brian Dennehy. The plot involves a love triangle between the characters portrayed by Reynolds, Kristofferson and Clayburgh. Semi-Tough also includes a parody of Werner Erhard's Erhard Seminars Training (est), depicted in the film as an organization called "B.E.A.T." The film is based on the novel Semi-Tough, by Dan Jenkins, and was adapted for the screen by writer Walter Bernstein and director Michael Ritchie. Ritchie and Bernstein added a new storyline which included a satire of the self-help movement and new religions.

Semi-Tough follows the story of pro-football friends Billy Clyde Puckett, and Marvin 'Shake' Tiller, who also have a third roommate, Barbara Jane Bookman. The two men vie for her affection throughout the film, but Shake becomes self-confident after completing a self awareness course called "B.E.A.T." Bert Convy plays the role of Friedrich Bismark, the leader of B.E.A.T. Barbara Jane enrolls in B.E.A.T. training in order to "get it" and be closer to Shake, but does not have a good experience in the training. Billy Clyde takes the training surreptitiously with Barbara Jane, and fakes "getting it" in order to impress her. He later intervenes when she is about to marry Shake, and they admit their feelings for each other.

The film received mixed reception. Reviewers praised its parodies of the est training, Werner Erhard, and other new age movements such as Rolfing. Other reviews criticized the script and direction of the film, noting that some of director Ritchie's previous films had more of a personal tone. Still other reviews lamented the film's departure from the novel Semi-Tough, which dealt more with football and less with the new age movement.