Homeboy (1988)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Michael Seresin

Writers:

Mickey Rourke (earlier screenplay)
Mickey Rourke (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 August 1988 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Some people live life blow by blow.

Plot:

Johnny Walker is a cowboy and a boxer. He is very shy and a bit of a fool. He is in love with Ruby, but he cannot tell her...

Plot Keywords:

Boxer | Boxing | Prize Fighter | Alcoholism | Carousel

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	Johnny Walker
Christopher Walken	...	Wesley Pendergass
Debra Feuer	...	Ruby
Thomas Quinn	...	Lou
Kevin Conway	...	Grazziano
Antony Alda	...	Ray
Jon Polito	...	Moe Fingers
Bill Slayton	...	Bill
David Albert Taylor	...	Cannonball (as David Taylor)
Joseph Ragno	...	Cotten's Trainer
Matthew Lewis	...	Cotten
Willy DeVille	...	Moe's Bodyguard
Rubén Blades	...	Doctor
Sam Gray	...	Barber
Dondre Whitfield	...	Billy Harrison

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

116 min | Brazil:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | France:Unrated | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Homeboy is the first film written by Mickey Rourke. He credited as "Sir" Eddie Cook. Other films which are written by Mickey Rourke are also credited like that.

Soundtrack:

Pretty Baby

Powerful Nuanced Film

A lot can be written about the derailing of Mickey Rourke's career... But when reflecting on the the reasons he achieved such recognition to begin with... One has to review Homeboy. The man had real talent as an actor and it is a shame that he is more remembered for phoned in performances than the highlights. Homeboy is one of the highlights. A very complete method performance that regardless of commercial stereotypes stays true to the characters created and the world they're in.

This is a real picture of a fighter way past his prime who gets a second chance at inspiration. But this is not the Rocky world where a theme song and a jog around the park give the character new life. This is a real character at the bottom of the bucket trying to reach up. And the mistakes of a lifetime are not easily overcome in this film.

Also Alan Parker's longtime cinematographer Michael Serensin makes his directing debut. Sadly it also ends his directing career. But the screen is always wonderfully alive under his direction both gritty and flashy in unison.

The support cast is wonderfully strong including one of the best minor support roles Christopher Walken has ever delivered.

I highly recommend this film for fans of smaller unconventional character dramas. If you want stereotypes... watch something else.