Italians They're Not.
Added 12/4/2009
I'm going to comment on this movie -- and in response to several of the other Amazon reviews of this movie -- as an Italian-American.
First of all, and to quote that famous American philosopher and one-time bag boy at the Whittier Food Fair Richard Nixon, "let me make one thing perfectly clear." ... I like Mickey Rourke films. I consider his film career, overall, to be as good as any actor who has ever lived.
And I say that for one simple reason -- I'm afriad if I don't he'll kick my butt.
Butt seriously, folks, the two fundamental problems I have with this movie are
1.) Mickey Rourke is supposed to play an Italian. I mean, COME ON! Mickey Rourke is a great actor, in my opinion at times in his career as good as Brando ... but an Italian?
Mickey Rourke is an Italian like my Great-Aunt Carmela is one of the Rockettes.
Mickey Rourke's face might as well be a map of Ireland. ("Faith and bejabbers, Paddy, he's a fine broth of a lad.")
What compounds the felony of Mickey Rourke trying to play an Italian is that Eric Roberts also -- at least form the point of view of most Italian-Americans I would imagine -- also doesn't pass "The Laugh Test." The curly-headed permanent wave they gave him for the movie doesn't do it, folks, trust me.
In fact, there's no reason why the Mickey Rourke character and the Eric Roberts character had to be Italians in the first place. Why couldn't they be two *Irish* guys who get mixed up with the local Don played by Burt Young?
I'm even more put off by the stereotypical way in which the movie portrays Italians. *And* by the stereotypical way some reviewers here have bought right into those stereotypes.
Keep in mind that I consider Mickey Rourke to be one of the greatest film actors ever, but every time the camera would shoot a closeup of Mickey Rourke, an Italian in the picture, I cracked up. Even if he had done extensive research on the speech, mannerisms and overall behavior of Italian-Americans, it's his unmistakeable Irish *face* that sinks an otherwise good movie.
People rave about Eric Roberts performace. But here again it doesn't ring true. Both are method actors but the problem with "The Method" is that you can't have Pee Wee Herman in a film starrign as Hamlet or King Lear just because he might be a great Method actor. There are, after all, limits.
An actor like, say, Laurence Olivier -- the exact opposite of a Method actor -- would never take a role where he couldn't convince the audience that *physically* (re. body language, makeup, costume and appearance) he is that guy up on the screen. For me, Mickey Rourke playing an Italian in this movie would be like, not that it would have ever happened, Laurence Olivier playing the life story of Danny DiVito.
Also, the movie never directly ansswer the question: "Why is the Mickey Rourke character putting up with the Eric Roberts character?" The Eric Roberts character is not just self-destructive, he's doing a good job of destroying his supposed best friend as well. .. Bugt here's the ting I object to. The movie does *in*directly answer the question; that is to say, the implication throughout the movie is that "Italians, you know, man, they stick together man, they're loyal." Leaving the audience to conclude that the stupidity of Mickey Rourke putting up with Eric Roberts' dumb-ass shenanigans is rooted in some dumb-ass notion of how a particular ethnic group, in this case Italian-Americans, is supposed to act.
It's not that Hollywood doesn't so this quite often. Hollywood has a long history of portraying ethnic, racial and sexual groups is highly stereotypical ways.
My point has nothing to do with so-called "identity politics." Rather, what I'm saying is that this kind of a.) gross miscasting and b.) simplistic, shorthand ethnic stereotyping stands as an immoveable roadblock to anything approaching art. And in the case of Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts, those are two actors whose work can and at times *has* achieved the level of art.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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great buy
Added 10/22/2009
Great movie. Mickey Rourke at his best. If you grew up in a neighborhood then you will understand this movie.
One of the best opening scences to a movie ever. (Mickey Rourke geting ready to go out on the town, with Summerwind playing in the backround.)
Burt Young from the Rocky movies plays a great mob boss.
A true cinema classic.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Rourke & Roberts Shine
Added 8/25/2009
I've seen this movie several times. The chemistry between Rourke and Roberts is fantastic. I like everything about this movie. The acting,the story,the music and the setting. I recommend it highly. You won't be disappointed.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Dysfunction and Codependency on display!
Added 8/3/2009
This movie is a great example of dysfunction and codependency. The relationship between Charlie and Pauly is a perfect reflection of dysfunction. First you have Pauly, a sick, dysfunctional, self-absorbed guy, forever trapped in adolescence, who is way out of touch with reality. His denial is about as deep as it gets. And Charlie, who just can't seem to grasp the codependency involved in his friendship with Pauly. He's so hung up on cultural (Italian) loyalty, even when it brings him nothing but constant trouble. Pauly is dedicated to making life miserable for all those around him, and Charlie seems destined to forever rescue Pauly from his stupid choices, constantly being sucked in to Pauly's pathology. Even Diane, Charlie's girlfriend, can see the truth that evades Charlie when she says to him, "Pauly's a loser and he uses you Charlie". But Charlie can't handle the truth so he lets Diane walk out of his life. To his credit, at the very end, after Pauly again makes life difficult, Charlie turns to Pauly and says, "You have a serious thinking disorder"!!! That's my favorite line from a movie that's loaded with one-liners.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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They shoulda been contenders
Added 7/17/2009
This is one of my all time favorite movies. The year it was released I was really bummed that neither Mickey Rourke (great to see him return from the Hollywood dead in "The Wrestler") or Eric Roberts were even nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Robert's Paulie is a marvel and Rourke shows all the promise that he so famously pissed away.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Italians They're Not.
Added 12/4/2009
I'm going to comment on this movie -- and in response to several of the other Amazon reviews of this movie -- as an Italian-American.
First of all, and to quote that famous American philosopher and one-time bag boy at the Whittier Food Fair Richard Nixon, "let me make one thing perfectly clear." ... I like Mickey Rourke films. I consider his film career, overall, to be as good as any actor who has ever lived.
And I say that for one simple reason -- I'm afriad if I don't he'll kick my butt.
Butt seriously, folks, the two fundamental problems I have with this movie are
1.) Mickey Rourke is supposed to play an Italian. I mean, COME ON! Mickey Rourke is a great actor, in my opinion at times in his career as good as Brando ... but an Italian?
Mickey Rourke is an Italian like my Great-Aunt Carmela is one of the Rockettes.
Mickey Rourke's face might as well be a map of Ireland. ("Faith and bejabbers, Paddy, he's a fine broth of a lad.")
What compounds the felony of Mickey Rourke trying to play an Italian is that Eric Roberts also -- at least form the point of view of most Italian-Americans I would imagine -- also doesn't pass "The Laugh Test." The curly-headed permanent wave they gave him for the movie doesn't do it, folks, trust me.
In fact, there's no reason why the Mickey Rourke character and the Eric Roberts character had to be Italians in the first place. Why couldn't they be two *Irish* guys who get mixed up with the local Don played by Burt Young?
I'm even more put off by the stereotypical way in which the movie portrays Italians. *And* by the stereotypical way some reviewers here have bought right into those stereotypes.
Keep in mind that I consider Mickey Rourke to be one of the greatest film actors ever, but every time the camera would shoot a closeup of Mickey Rourke, an Italian in the picture, I cracked up. Even if he had done extensive research on the speech, mannerisms and overall behavior of Italian-Americans, it's his unmistakeable Irish *face* that sinks an otherwise good movie.
People rave about Eric Roberts performace. But here again it doesn't ring true. Both are method actors but the problem with "The Method" is that you can't have Pee Wee Herman in a film starrign as Hamlet or King Lear just because he might be a great Method actor. There are, after all, limits.
An actor like, say, Laurence Olivier -- the exact opposite of a Method actor -- would never take a role where he couldn't convince the audience that *physically* (re. body language, makeup, costume and appearance) he is that guy up on the screen. For me, Mickey Rourke playing an Italian in this movie would be like, not that it would have ever happened, Laurence Olivier playing the life story of Danny DiVito.
Also, the movie never directly ansswer the question: "Why is the Mickey Rourke character putting up with the Eric Roberts character?" The Eric Roberts character is not just self-destructive, he's doing a good job of destroying his supposed best friend as well. .. Bugt here's the ting I object to. The movie does *in*directly answer the question; that is to say, the implication throughout the movie is that "Italians, you know, man, they stick together man, they're loyal." Leaving the audience to conclude that the stupidity of Mickey Rourke putting up with Eric Roberts' dumb-ass shenanigans is rooted in some dumb-ass notion of how a particular ethnic group, in this case Italian-Americans, is supposed to act.
It's not that Hollywood doesn't so this quite often. Hollywood has a long history of portraying ethnic, racial and sexual groups is highly stereotypical ways.
My point has nothing to do with so-called "identity politics." Rather, what I'm saying is that this kind of a.) gross miscasting and b.) simplistic, shorthand ethnic stereotyping stands as an immoveable roadblock to anything approaching art. And in the case of Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts, those are two actors whose work can and at times *has* achieved the level of art.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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great buy
Added 10/22/2009
Great movie. Mickey Rourke at his best. If you grew up in a neighborhood then you will understand this movie.
One of the best opening scences to a movie ever. (Mickey Rourke geting ready to go out on the town, with Summerwind playing in the backround.)
Burt Young from the Rocky movies plays a great mob boss.
A true cinema classic.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Rourke & Roberts Shine
Added 8/25/2009
I've seen this movie several times. The chemistry between Rourke and Roberts is fantastic. I like everything about this movie. The acting,the story,the music and the setting. I recommend it highly. You won't be disappointed.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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