Rourke at his Rourkeiest
Added 12/27/2009
This one could be for Mickey fans only. I hope not though. Unlike most genre films, this one does have a soul. And not as corroded as one would think. But corroded nonetheless and in the end, hopeless. What makes it work though is that we DID hope. All along, and credit Rourke for so, so, many things. One, he kept surprising us by doing everything he could to push us, and those he cares about away. And does it roughly. And two, like the girl, we keep coming back and wanting him to choose the decency that he can't hide. It's his most underrated perfomance and it's Hill's best work. And Ry Cooder is on par with Southern Comfort here as well.
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Good 80s Film-Noir
Added 11/3/2009
Based on The Three Worlds of Johnny Handsome by John Godey, this 1989 film stars 2008's comeback kid Mickey Rourke as a disfigured crook given a chance get revenge on the people who killed his friend.
Rourke plays John Sedley, who looks not unlike Rocky Dennis from Mask and Rourke's Sin City character Marv. Disfigured and with a speech impediment, Johnny helps his friend Mikey (Scott Wilson) with a heist. Soon, Mikey is dead and Johnny's in jail, while killers Rafe (Lance Henriksen) and Sunny (Ellen Barkin) get away with the money. Sentenced to 5 years in prison, Johnny is offered a new face and a new identity by Dr. Steven Resher (Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker). When his surgery is complete, Johnny gets a job at a shipyard and begins planning a new heist...And his revenge.
Morgan Freeman co-stars as Lieutenant Drones, a hardboiled cop waiting for Johnny to slip up.
This is a fine piece of 80s film-noir with a terrific performance courtesy of the films leading man. Rourke hits all the right notes with this character; tough, angry, troubled. He even brings some pathos to his role and plays the part with a speech impediment that never seems forced. One particular scene featuring a fine piece of acting is when Johnny tells Dr. Resher his "Halloween" story. The acting bit was surprisingly affecting.
Whitaker is also very good in his small role and Barkin plays the skanky, double-crossing Sunny very well. Freeman, so good at playing the nice guy, steps out of type to play the untrusting Lt. Drones. Freeman gives his character a pulp feel (note: may have more to do with the writing) that compliments the rest of the film nicely. Henriksen's Rafe is a Billy Idol-lookalike and really isn't anything new as far as 80s tough-guy villains go.
The biggest problem with Johnny Handsome has is the 80s feel; its sort of cheap, shoddy look. It's not a timeless movie, but the 80s look DOES give it a more noir-ish feel. Johnny Handsome is film noir, make no mistake about it. Director of photography, Matthew F. Leonetti likes smoky nightclubs and motel rooms and the score alternates between jazzy and noir-esque to (unfortunately) synthesized and 80s. It doesn't hold up next to an 80s-noir like Body Heat, but it's certainly better than recent retro-noir like The Black Dahlia.
It's worth noting to keep people from being mislead; this is not an action-packed film rather, it's a film that concentrates more on characters, dialogue, and plot. Some may find it dull in spots and I certainly did. It's a slow build-up, but one that passes the time.
GRADE: B
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4.5 Stars. Just like Gene Siskel (RIP) said, I'd like to see it again.
Added 8/22/2009
Having seen the trailer multiple times as well as seeing 2 other Walter Hill films (Red Heat and Trespass), I had come across this underrated gem at Borders for $15. And I decided, why not? For me, the movie was $15 well spent.
Mickey Rourke plays John Sedley, a small-time hood whose deformation has given him the nickname, "Johnny Handsome", who is in the midst of planning a robbery with his friend, Mikey Chalmette (Played by Scott Wilson) and 2 other criminals, Rafe and Sunny (Played by the always great Lance Henriksen and Ellen Barkin.) In the middle of the robbery, John and Mikey are double-crossed by Sunny and Rafe. Mikey ends up killed and Johnny is arrested. While in jail, Lt. Drones (Played by Morgan Freeman) offers Johnny a chance to participate in a rehab program. Johnny accepts the offer and while at the rehab, Johnny is stabbed and taken to a hospital. At the hospital, a sympathetic surgeon (Played by Forest Whitaker) gives Johnny a new face, a new identity (Johnny is given the name Johnny Mitchell), and a new shot at life. Johnny is eventually granted parole and gets a job at a plant. Going straight isn't all that easy, however. What Johnny really intends to do is get even with Rafe and Sunny.
I found the film to be an intense and underrated revenge noir that really deserves more attention than it already has. The score by Ry Cooder (Also responsible for the equally good score for Trespass) fits the film well too. The only thing that I did not like about the film was the ending, which was pretty sad. Nevertheless, it's a fun film that will hopefully, get more recognition in the future.
Highly recommended.
DVD Extras: The movie is presented in a crisp 1.33:3 full frame format, although I really don't know why Artisan decided against showing the film in it's original 1.85 aspect ratio, but it's still a good presentation. It's also VHS sourced, so if you watch the film all the way to the end, you'll see the I.V.E. logo.
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Walter Hill directs a terrific cast in New Orleans film noir
Added 3/8/2009
Along with "Southern Comfort", "Hard Times" and "Geronamo", this film noir set in New Orleans is one of director Walter Hill's best work. With a sultry blues score by Ry Cooder and a terrific cast headed by Mickey Rourke in the title role along with Morgan Freeman as the greek chorus, Elisabeth McGovern (the love interest), Forrest Whittaker as a kindly surgeon, Ellen Barkin as a fatal femme fatale and Lance Henrickson as her partner in crime, "Johnny Handsome" never lets up in the action and tension that ensues when a career criminal (Rourke) tries out a life changing operation. There's a slam bang robbery heist that goes south plus a dynamic conclusion to this under-rated film noir that will leave you breathless, thanks to Hill's direction. If you like your films down and dirty--this is it!! One of Rourke's best films along with "Barfly" and the recent "Wrestler".
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VHS transfer to DVD
Added 3/4/2009
Horrible rip-off by Artisan! Cheap VHS full-screen transfer. I sent mine back and get a refund!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Rourke at his Rourkeiest
Added 12/27/2009
This one could be for Mickey fans only. I hope not though. Unlike most genre films, this one does have a soul. And not as corroded as one would think. But corroded nonetheless and in the end, hopeless. What makes it work though is that we DID hope. All along, and credit Rourke for so, so, many things. One, he kept surprising us by doing everything he could to push us, and those he cares about away. And does it roughly. And two, like the girl, we keep coming back and wanting him to choose the decency that he can't hide. It's his most underrated perfomance and it's Hill's best work. And Ry Cooder is on par with Southern Comfort here as well.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Good 80s Film-Noir
Added 11/3/2009
Based on The Three Worlds of Johnny Handsome by John Godey, this 1989 film stars 2008's comeback kid Mickey Rourke as a disfigured crook given a chance get revenge on the people who killed his friend.
Rourke plays John Sedley, who looks not unlike Rocky Dennis from Mask and Rourke's Sin City character Marv. Disfigured and with a speech impediment, Johnny helps his friend Mikey (Scott Wilson) with a heist. Soon, Mikey is dead and Johnny's in jail, while killers Rafe (Lance Henriksen) and Sunny (Ellen Barkin) get away with the money. Sentenced to 5 years in prison, Johnny is offered a new face and a new identity by Dr. Steven Resher (Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker). When his surgery is complete, Johnny gets a job at a shipyard and begins planning a new heist...And his revenge.
Morgan Freeman co-stars as Lieutenant Drones, a hardboiled cop waiting for Johnny to slip up.
This is a fine piece of 80s film-noir with a terrific performance courtesy of the films leading man. Rourke hits all the right notes with this character; tough, angry, troubled. He even brings some pathos to his role and plays the part with a speech impediment that never seems forced. One particular scene featuring a fine piece of acting is when Johnny tells Dr. Resher his "Halloween" story. The acting bit was surprisingly affecting.
Whitaker is also very good in his small role and Barkin plays the skanky, double-crossing Sunny very well. Freeman, so good at playing the nice guy, steps out of type to play the untrusting Lt. Drones. Freeman gives his character a pulp feel (note: may have more to do with the writing) that compliments the rest of the film nicely. Henriksen's Rafe is a Billy Idol-lookalike and really isn't anything new as far as 80s tough-guy villains go.
The biggest problem with Johnny Handsome has is the 80s feel; its sort of cheap, shoddy look. It's not a timeless movie, but the 80s look DOES give it a more noir-ish feel. Johnny Handsome is film noir, make no mistake about it. Director of photography, Matthew F. Leonetti likes smoky nightclubs and motel rooms and the score alternates between jazzy and noir-esque to (unfortunately) synthesized and 80s. It doesn't hold up next to an 80s-noir like Body Heat, but it's certainly better than recent retro-noir like The Black Dahlia.
It's worth noting to keep people from being mislead; this is not an action-packed film rather, it's a film that concentrates more on characters, dialogue, and plot. Some may find it dull in spots and I certainly did. It's a slow build-up, but one that passes the time.
GRADE: B
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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4.5 Stars. Just like Gene Siskel (RIP) said, I'd like to see it again.
Added 8/22/2009
Having seen the trailer multiple times as well as seeing 2 other Walter Hill films (Red Heat and Trespass), I had come across this underrated gem at Borders for $15. And I decided, why not? For me, the movie was $15 well spent.
Mickey Rourke plays John Sedley, a small-time hood whose deformation has given him the nickname, "Johnny Handsome", who is in the midst of planning a robbery with his friend, Mikey Chalmette (Played by Scott Wilson) and 2 other criminals, Rafe and Sunny (Played by the always great Lance Henriksen and Ellen Barkin.) In the middle of the robbery, John and Mikey are double-crossed by Sunny and Rafe. Mikey ends up killed and Johnny is arrested. While in jail, Lt. Drones (Played by Morgan Freeman) offers Johnny a chance to participate in a rehab program. Johnny accepts the offer and while at the rehab, Johnny is stabbed and taken to a hospital. At the hospital, a sympathetic surgeon (Played by Forest Whitaker) gives Johnny a new face, a new identity (Johnny is given the name Johnny Mitchell), and a new shot at life. Johnny is eventually granted parole and gets a job at a plant. Going straight isn't all that easy, however. What Johnny really intends to do is get even with Rafe and Sunny.
I found the film to be an intense and underrated revenge noir that really deserves more attention than it already has. The score by Ry Cooder (Also responsible for the equally good score for Trespass) fits the film well too. The only thing that I did not like about the film was the ending, which was pretty sad. Nevertheless, it's a fun film that will hopefully, get more recognition in the future.
Highly recommended.
DVD Extras: The movie is presented in a crisp 1.33:3 full frame format, although I really don't know why Artisan decided against showing the film in it's original 1.85 aspect ratio, but it's still a good presentation. It's also VHS sourced, so if you watch the film all the way to the end, you'll see the I.V.E. logo.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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