Plot summary

Sonny Hooper is a highly-regarded and highly paid Hollywood stuntman. While filming a big-budget spy movie -- a send-up of the James Bond series -- he is ordered to pull off several "gags" that put him at increasing risk. His long-term girlfriend, Gwen, worries constantly over the chances Sonny takes, especially since Sonny has already gone through spinal surgery to correct many years of rough work on the job. Sonny's best friend, Cully, advises Sonny to cut back but Sonny is addicted to the adrenaline rush of the work he does, regardless of the fact that he's often in a lot of pain, takes too many pills and receives too many anesthetic injections, and the danger of partial or full paralysis.At a benefit for charity, Sonny meets a young upstart, Delmore Shidski, who jumps from a helicopter at dizzying height, parachutes for a short period and unhooks his chute and lands in a large airbag. Sonny and Cully are both impressed, even though Sonny is also envious that the young "Ski" is younger and in better physical condition. When Ski is supposed to race an old-timer named Hammerhead in a Roman chariot race, Sonny convinces his friend to step out and put on underwear -- the man had wanted to be authentic wearing his uniform -- and Sonny races the man's chariot against Ski instead. Ski's chariot breaks apart during the race and he's dragged until Sonny is able to stop the two horses pulling it. In a petulant act, Sonny has his own horse, Dancer, befoul Ski's car.The gang later goes to a popular restaurant, the Palomino Club, where Sonny and his friend Jocko -- Gwen's father and a former stuntman himself -- annoy a nearby table of SWAT officers in town for a convention. Jocko has been talking loudly enough that two of the SWAT guys want a refund of the money they put in the jukebox. Sonny smashes the juke by running into it wearing a motorcycle helmet but the SWAT guys become even more hostile and a fight breaks out. Ski joins Sonny's team without hesitation but everyone is eventually rounded up by the bouncers and thrown out. When Ski is tossed out with them, Sonny has newfound respect for Ski's ability to hold his own and support Sonny's team. Everyone goes to Sonny's house for an after party. Ski shows a good amount of hero worship for Sonny while they watch films of Sonny's best work. Later, Jocko asks Sonny why he hasn't decided to marry Gwen and Sonny becomes resistant.After successfully jumping from a helicopter, Sonny quietly asks Cully to take him to see his orthopedist. The doctor tells Sonny straight that if he takes a serious hit on his spine, he'll be quadriplegic. Sonny also forms a friendly relationship with Ski, admiring the young upstart's innovation for the action movie they're both working on and drawing the approval of the film's egotistical and overbearing director, Roger. Roger later angers the film's writer enough that the man quits and leaves Roger to rewrite the film's finale: the production has use of a small industrial town that's due to be completely demolished. The rewrite has Sonny and Ski driving to a halt at a small ravine where a bridge has been destroyed. Sonny and Ski come up with an extremely dangerous gag: they'll jump a 1978 Firebird, outfitted with a large jet engine, 325 feet across the ravine after the bridge is demolished. Though the jump can be done, there's no guarantee that the car will land safely for Sonny and Ski. The studio's producer promises to meet Sonny's suggested fee of $50,000 each for Sonny and Ski.Due to budgeting cutbacks, Cully is cut from the production crew. Drunk at Sonny's house, he lets slip the upcoming stunt run to Gwen. Gwen becomes very upset, telling Sonny that if he attempts the gag, she'll leave him. The two seem to reconcile later when Jocko suffers a minor stroke.On the day of the shoot, Sonny and Ski drive their Firebird through the chaos of the village's demolition, Ski doing the driving and Sonny keeping tabs on the instruments for the jet engine. As they race along, Sonny notices that the gas pressure needed to power the jet engine has dropped significantly. Ski stops short of the wrecked bridge and tells Sonny they can't attempt the jump because the gas pressure is too low. Sonny convinces Ski to make the jump for the money and hits the ignition switch. The car flies easily across the gap and lands very hard on the other side. Both men seem to be stunned but they recover after a few moments. Gwen rushes to Sonny's side and he smiles, indicating that he's OK. Roger finds them and congratulates them both, admitting he's been overbearing. Sonny contemplates Roger's comments for a few seconds and hits the director in the face, knocking him out. The film ends with Sonny smiling.