When you're young and going nowhere... the Carny looks like a good way out.
Tired of being a small-town waitress, Donna departs with the latest carnival show, living with entertainers Frankie and Patch in a tense, emotional triangle.
Carny (1980) is a drama film directed by Robert Kaylor, released on May 23, 1980 with a runtime of 1h 47m. It stars Gary Busey, Jodie Foster, Robbie Robertson and Meg Foster. Viewers rate it 6.2 out of 10 across 43 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Carny before you stream it.
Gary Busey
as Frankie
Jodie Foster
as Donna
Robbie Robertson
as Patch
Meg Foster
as Gerta
Kenneth McMillan
as Heavy St. John
Elisha Cook Jr.
as On-Your-Mark
Tim Thomerson
as Doubles
Teddy Wilson
as Nails
John Lehne
as Skeet
Bill McKinney
as Marvin Dill
Bert Remsen
as Delno Baptiste
Craig Wasson
as Mickey
Directed by Robert Kaylor, written by Thomas Baum, Robert Kaylor and Robbie Robertson, produced by Robbie Robertson.
Average viewer score of 6.2/10 from 43 ratings.
Carny is like a documentary inside a film. The movie revolves around the carnies and their day to day operations and personal lives. Jodie Foster stars as Donna, a bored 18 year old small town waitress who dreams of more excitement. One night while attending the local carnival with her jock boyfriend (played by character actor Craig Wasson), she is singled out in the crowd while her boyfriend is engaging in a game…
Reviewed on March 24, 2016
***A runaway girl (Jodie Foster) joins a traveling carnival in Georgia*** Except for a couple of unconvincing parts and an unlikely bit in the last act, “Carny” gives the impression of filmmakers grabbing some cameras and secretly filming at an actual carnival in America. Gary Busey stars, two years after his breakout with “The Buddy Holly Story.” Meanwhile Robbie Robertson, the former main man of The Band, is…
Reviewed on August 29, 2026
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Carny (1980) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Carny (1980) includes Gary Busey, Jodie Foster, Robbie Robertson, Meg Foster and Kenneth McMillan. The film was directed by Robert Kaylor. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Carny was released on May 23, 1980 and runs for 1h 47m.
Carny (1980) holds an average rating of 6.2 out of 10 from 43 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Carny trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
