Homeboy (1988) User Reviews

Mickey Rourke's love of boxing is evident in this his screenplay

[Ed-Shullivan · 7/10 · 8 December 2014]

Mickey Rourke's genuine love for the sport of boxing is evident in both his writing style and in his acting as the main character in his boxing genre film Homeboy. Rourke plays a somewhat dim-witted, booze drinking, over the hill cowboy dressing boxer named Johnny Walker, whose only means of eking out a bearable living is by getting back in to the ring travelling from boxing venue to boxing venue and fighting the local 'homeboys", where the judges seem to favor the local homeboy.

I believe that sometimes we the audience will see an actor portray a character that just does not seem believable on the big screen simply because the actors' previous body of work influences the audience to expect to see the actor play a similar type character as in his previous roles on camera. In the case of Mickey Rourke, we are used to seeing him play leading tough guy roles as he did earlier on his career as in his 1980's films where he was usually portrayed as the handsome leading man as in The Pope of Greenwich Village, 9 ½ Weeks, Rumble Fish or in Diner. And then Mickey chooses to write a screenplay where he portrays a dim witted over the hill booze laden boxer who falls for a carnival girl of his dreams.

Mickey just shows us time and time again that he is not afraid to explore new characters (as in his Academy Award Best Actor nomination in the 2008 film, The Wrestler) and he refuses to be stereotyped in his acting roles. What I liked about the film Homeboy most was the character Johnny Walker portrayed with a quirky distorted smile that enjoyed the most simple things in life, such as hot walking the carnival ponies along the sandy beach, or just being held by his carnival girlfriend Ruby played by Debra Feuer.

There are also good performances played by the seasoned actor Christopher Walken and Kevin Conway. Walken plays Wesley Pendergrass a thief with grand illusions of wealth and expensive clothes. Wesley's grifter character plays opposite Johnny Walkers poor cowboy boxer character and in some ways a comparison can be drawn towards the earlier Academy Award winning 1969 film Midnight Cowboy starring Jon Voight (Joe Buck) and Dustin Hoffman's (Ratso) characters.

Kevin Conway plays a grimy cop named Grazziano who is closing in on Wesley's grifter activities and he has a soft spot for Johnny Walker's character and tells Johnny while chomping on an apple that Johnny needs to know his various types of apples and to live his own life. The audience can interpret this exchange of dialogue between Grazziano the cop and Johnny the downtrodden cowboy boxer that he should stay away from that bad apple Wesley because he is up to no good.

The actual boxing scenes in the ring were not the greatest, but I understand that spending a ton of money on the movies production is better spent on building the characters (Rourke, Feuer, Walken and Conway) then it would be on spending on a few minutes of boxing choreography. The last fifteen minutes are very appealing as we see what will happen to the struggling boxer Johnny Walker, his new found grifter friend Wesley looking for that one big score, and Johnny's girlfriend Ruby who is struggling financially to hold on to her deceased fathers carnival business. Who will win and who will lose in the life battles we all face in one way or another? All in all, I liked the film and I give it a 7 out of 10 rating. If you like Mickey Rourke, and you like a gritty under achiever, then Homeboy will not disappoint you.

Gritty character study of losers .........

[merklekranz · 6/10 · 5 November 2009]

Though there certainly are enough fight scenes to call this a boxing film, it is more of a slowly evolving study of some interesting, but loser-type characters. Do not expect "Rocky" and you just might enjoy "Homeboy". Eric Clapton's music adds immeasurably, and the acting is solid. Christopher Walken and Mickey Rourke carry the movie. The love interest, Debra Feuer, is quite unremarkable. I liked it, some may think it is too slow moving, but that is sometimes a price worth paying, for strong character development. There is a message here to believe in yourself, no matter what the odds against you. Recommended. - MERK

wait 20 years

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 14 April 2020]

Johnny Walker (Mickey Rourke) is a struggling boxer at the end of his road. He gets a surprise win and is befriended by sleazy promoter Wesley Pendergrass (Christopher Walken). He falls for Ruby, the owner of a struggling seaside carnival.

Rourke is doing a forerunner to a much better film 20 years later. It's essentially the same character and the same performance. The girlfriend is rather bland and the actress isn't doing much. As for Walken, he deserves better. He needs more screen time and his character is doing weird things for no reason. I knew he was in trouble when he starts singing and the ending is doing another weird thing. He's wasted in this. Rourke would get his reward later but in this, he shows the potential.

Unfairly underrated movie

[searchanddestroy-1 · 19 May 2023]

A poignant, depressing, gloomy drama about a loser splendidly played by Mickey Rourke for a character that seemed to be made especially for him. I also would have imagined Steve McQueen in this film, I don't know why.... My all times favourite from M. R, more than YEAR OF THE DRAGON for instance. Not destined for sure to large audiences, those silly people craving for super f...heroes whilst eating their popcorn. . This may be painful to watch if you are plenty involved into the character. Mickey Rourke should have won an Academy Awards for this incredible performance, sort of THE WRESTLER, twenty years ahead.

About Silence and Love

[silvercrowcafe · 7/10 · 29 June 2022]

Cute little movie about love and ordinary people with big wishes and high hopes. The music is hunting in a way that most of the time it blends with the pictures and gets a part of it, so it's there but it's like you don't hear it. The pace is slow but the fine cinematography somehow makes it up. Casting is the best part. Both Rourke and Walken and also Feuer are believable, Walken(Wesley) as some kind of sophisticated jerk with a good heart who has always some wise quotes in his pocket and Rourke(Johnny) with his silent manner and strange stares, and Feuer(Ruby) with her innocence and sense of responsibility towards what she inherited from her grandfather. However, wanted to know more about Wesley. Looked like some of his scenes were edited and cut in some parts, the one he sings in and also the way he meets his fate in the end, even the things about his relationships with women or even men(?).

Takes some time to get used to the atmosphere but when it happens you can't stop wanting more and more of it.

.

A Spiting, Mumbling, snot-blowing Stinker

[angelsunchained · 1/10 · 1 July 2007]

This garbage passes for art! Give me a break! Mickey Rourke plays a disgusting, low-life, club-fighter named Johnny Walker. Rourke's performance shows him spiting on the floor, spitting at people, and generally just waiting to spit. Aside from constant spiting, he blows his nose on the ring canvas and in the dressing room floor. He puts together 5 word phrases and generally struts around waiting to spit or blow his nose. The film has such garbage lines as , " Hey Johnny, you want an apple?" The film is slow moving, dull, and moves at a snail's pace. The fight scenes are overly long and basically show Rourke spiting, making faces, and blowing his nose. There is no romantic spark between Rourke and his love interest Debra Feur. The gist of their interactions is Feur asking Rourke, "Where did you come from?" Homeboy is pure junk. Catch Mickey in the Pope of Greenich Village or The Year of The Dragon.

At leat I like the actors

[huskydad · 3/10 · 17 January 2021]

Cliche and characters that are flat. Horrible sound. These actors did ok but went on to do much better movies.

Awful Comic book Acting and Writing

[Well18 · 1/10 · 3 October 2005]

Horrible movie. After watching it I read that Mickey Rourke wrote it. This makes sense. Actors all want to be writers, and vice versa. Fortunatly, we don't have to see writers trying to be actors. But we do see certain actors take a stab at writing. Some actors do a great job writing films, others do a horrible job. Like Rourke. Rouke took a stab at modern boxing noir, and stabs the audience with cliché characters, and dialog that is trying for Cassevettes but is more fitting to an episode of 'Melrose Place'. Rourke is a good actor, but his acting in this film is horrendous. He proves that even if you don't say a word you can still overact. His character is completely unbelievable. He resembles a comic book palooka, has an extended chin, and walks around like he's trying to be menacing, like he's imitating some real life mean looking guy he knew once who wasn't a rich, trouble actor haunted by natural good looks; Rourke would probably give anything in the world to be a born loser with 'nothing to lose'... but then he'd never be able to write and star in films, would he? The characters around him, all having a kick with Rourke's lame dialog somehow (what else can they do?), attempt to keep things afloat. But you cannot save a sinking ship. How is it that a much lower actor, Sly Stallone, can write a ten times better boxing movie, and can act ten times better. The character Rocky Balboa was believable. Rourke's character was not. Even his name was pretentious: Johnny Walker (get it?) I'll repeat: this movie is horrible. The love story is horrible. The action is horrible. The acting is horrible. The music is good, thanks to Eric Clapton. But everything else stinks.

Haunting musical score emphasizes old-fashioned story

[sherrillita · 8/10 · 15 September 2001]

Rourke's Homeboy is accentuated with an excellent musical score. The story might appear "old fashioned" (i.e. 1940's US) to some, but watch the movie again and delve deeper - there is more than first meets the eye. Rourke's shy, awkward Johnny Walker is a memorable character. Walken fans shouldn't miss this one.

So bad it is kind of good

[alexthegrazz · 1/10 · 9 June 2023]

This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life it's so bad though it's good it's almost comical how you want to see just how much worse you can get Mickey Rourke is a struggling boxer who says maybe one word the entire movie Christopher Walken's character is an absolute joke the premise is that of a washed up something boxer that has absolutely nothing to going on no brains no drive nothing, Each character is poorly developed the screenplay is terrible the acting is terrible like I said it's almost worth watching just to see how bad it gets but that's about it! It's worst movie I've ever seen.

Rourke evokes an unforgettable character

[pocomarc · 9/10 · 24 February 2007]

Mickey Rourke plays a not too bright guy who boxes and has observable nervous system damage, which shows in the way he walks and holds his face. He does a terrific job in this role.

The scenes with Rourke and the beautiful carnival girl are touching.

He comes to her aid when she is being harassed by some punks. Later when they are walking together she asks him why he turns his face away as they walk and he says that is because his face looks funny. "No," she tells him. "I like it."

The recurring scene in the gym where the white and black trainer play checkers and the old black trainer keeps asking in puzzlement, "What color am I?" (checker piece color) is a classic. The white trainer and checker opponent tells him each time with a kindly smile, "You're black."

Christopher Walken evokes a disgusting character in the form of the jerk and criminal the Rourke character looks up to. Walken sees a use for Rourke in his own scumbag plans and "befriends" Rourke.

In the course of their contact Rourke asks two questions based on conversation going on around him in an attempt to learn something beyond beyond his own limited world,

1--"What's Granny Smith?"

2--"What's Jewish?"

The character Rourke evokes is one of the most sympathetic figures in any movie-- one who is not at all swift mentally, physically damaged, yet brave and good hearted.

In his physical condition the Rourke character should never have had the fight he did at the end of the movie.

I didn't realize Rourke also wrote this movie. My hat is off to him here. The scenes between him and the carnival girl are among the most touching I have seen.

Another great Mick flick.

[pizowell · 8/10 · 19 August 2001]

In homeboy which Mick wrote, he plays a 2nd rate boxer who'll never run with the big boys because he is undisciplined and a alcoholic. Soon Mick befriends Wesley(Walken) a thief and falls in love with a beautiful carnival owner Ruby (Feuer). Homeboy is a dreary little gem with quirky performances from the leads and also shows that Mick has a soft side. A must for all Mick fans. Check it out!

A great boxing film with emotion that rivals that of Raging Bull's.

[gareth_mathias88-1 · 10/10 · 2 December 2005]

Homeboy is a fantastic film. Not only is it one of my favourite boxing films, it is also one of my favourite films in general. It is about Johnny Walker, a down-and out boxer who has just recently moved into a sea-side resort. Upon arriving, he falls in love with Ruby, a carnival owner who shares a lot in common with Johnny, who it appears Johnny is fighting for.

Johnny, who is played by Mickey Rourke, also befriends Wesley Pendergrass (Christopher Walken). Wesley and Johnny form a strong friendship, and it's Rourke's idolisation of Wesley that intriges me. Wesley wants to use Johnny, and half-way through the film he asks Johnny for a favour. Johnny has to choose between the love of Ruby (Debra Feuer)or the friendship of Wesley.

Rourke and Walken give excellent performances and Debra Feur gives quite an exceptional performances as well. The music, by Eric Clapton, provides the film with deep emotion.

People have slated this film and I really cannot see why. I give this film 10/10.

A truly haunting and underrated film!

[TheHardTarget6 · 10/10 · 30 May 2007]

Homeboy is a haunting and outstanding drama. Micket Rourke turns in an amazing performance as Johnny Walker and Christopher Walken's role is memorable. The film's soundtrack is excellent. The plot revolves around Johnny Walker, a down and out, aged boxer who falls for a girl and has hopes of making it big. Johnny meets Walken's character who trys to get Walker into some bad things. The film is depressing and hopeful. It is very sad at parts but the film really is amazing. You must read under the surface of things. A must see for Rourke fans!!! The acting is excellent but I feel the film could have been better if there was more emphasis on things.

Powerful Nuanced Film

[Blackshotink · 8/10 · 7 December 2007]

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.

A fighter realizes the "Homeboy" has the advantage.

[michaelRokeefe · 8/10 · 25 December 2009]

I absolutely liked this movie of a cowboy pugilist that has taken too many hits to the head, but doesn't realize it. Written and starring Mickey Rourke, who is about 26 and in damn good shape. He gets credit of writing the screenplay under the alias of 'Sir' Eddie Cook. Rourke plays Johnny Walker, a quirky cowboy boxer that doesn't want to face the fact he is probably just past his prime; but he can still come up with a devastating knock-out punch. He is given one last shot at a big purse fight in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Along the way, the slow-witted Walker falls in a trap set by a smooth talking hood Wesley Pendergrass(Christopher Walken). Johnny finds himself in a pickle when he wants to help a young woman(Debra Feuer)save her financially strapped sea shore arcade; being hoodwinked in helping con-man Wesley pull off a jewelry heist; or get back in the ring despite being told one blow to his temple bone could possibly cause his head to explode.

Rourke and Walken are beyond a doubt outstanding. You just can't help but want to cheer on Johnny Walker. Others in a crowded cast: Thomas Quinn, Jon Polito, Matthew Lewis, Dondre Whitfield, Anthony Alda, Jeanne Daly and Ruben Blades.

I WAS THERE!!!

[edjas · 10/10 · 29 December 2019]

I worked in Asbury Park a few blocks away from most of the scenes. at lunch time and after work and evenings I watched some of the scenes being filmed. What a great experience.Difficult to see the stars. I saw O Rourke a few time from a half block away. he had his own trailer. One experience Ill never forget was walking down Cookman Ave and seeing this actor walking towards me. Who was he? A girl asked for his autograph and he happily complied. then he walked past me and as I was still trying to remember his name he said "hi" to me and I said 'HI". The next next day the local paper which was reporting the filming every day supplied the answer.Christopher Walken!! Nice guy. One evening I watched the car scene down Cookman with the robbers disguised as orthodox Jews. and the car went by over and over for about an hour! kind of boring after awhile. no stars were there either. Couldn t wait to see the movie but it never really came out. a very limited release. took me a few years to find it on tv and buy the VHS tape! I thought it was a great film but very bleak and depressing. acting was superb and location was where I worked every day so it was a fantastic viewing. For over a month I walked around the various locations where they were filming,all the places I knew. So I give it a ten for all these reasons. If i didn't see the filming I would say a 7.

Beautifully done

[lawsonlynn · 9/10 · 6 October 2022]

I watched this movie because I am a Mickey Rourke's fan. I was also curious about the chemistry between Rourke and Debra Feuer, Rourke's first wife, who appears as his love interest in Homeboy. While I am not a boxing fan, I was also curious to see a movie for which Rourke had also written the screenplay (as "Sir Eddie Cook").

Rourke absolutely nails the performance of Johnny Walker, a shy country boy who is emboldened by whiskey and the excitement of the boxing ring. Along the way, we begin to understand that Johnny is either drinking on the job or suffering from brain damage (or both) which causes blurry vision. Johnny comes off as a bit strange but he is mostly shy. He is part fighter/part romantic, attracted to assertive, capable women (the parallels with the life of the real Mickey Rourke are obvious). Johnny falls for the character played by his first wife- an assertive, independent, naturally beautiful woman who loves horses & bikes.

This movie really caught me off guard in its artistic vision, particularly in the display and depth of emotional expression and empathy from Rourke who wrote this in his 20s or 30s, apparently. (He told his costar Christopher Walken, about the script, apparently, when they met on the set of "Heaven's Gate," almost 10 years prior to starring together in "Homeboy.").

Through the character and narrative of Johnny/"Homeboy," this film explores themes of youth & innocence, survival, and what drives a man to keep living, to maintain hope for a beautiful life. There is a bit of a deceit in first introducing us to Johnny- as if we are meant to view him as one dimensional, boring, simple. As the film progresses, it is impossible not to be drawn in by Johnny's complexity- that is, the jarring contrast between Johnny's authentic tenderness and what drives him to fight, even when he knows he may die from it. We even sympathize with Christopher Walker's character- a criminal who was abandoned as a child. While there is an underlying narrative based upon a fighter who is too old to be the best there is & too young to be satisfied with his professional accomplishments, this film also tells a story about finding meaning & beauty in the context of unrelenting ugliness. Finally, the music by Eric Clapton deserves recognition for perfectly reflecting and linking the moments it follows.

looking for homeboy

[patrizia0814 · 8/10 · 20 December 2006]

Back in 1988 I was called in by a modeling agency to try out for a part in the movie Homeboy. I did not even know who Mickey Rourke was at that time. As I stood on the sidewalk waiting for direction, Christopher Walken walked up dressed in a policeman's uniform (which was weird because he didn't play a cop in the movie) and offered me a cup of coffee. I was chosen to do the opening scene for the bar, (legs walking with black lace)I also got to be in the scene where everyone is hanging out around the bar as Mickey dances on top of the with the black chick. I previously owned two copies of the movie but due to a fire I lost both copies and am now looking to purchase a copy to have to give to my daughter and my grandchildren. Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a copy?

Somewhat offbeat boxing drama.

[fedor8 · 31 December 2007]

There are two things going for this movie: the weird but entertaining way in which Rourke (pre-Elephant Man phase) plays the borderline retarded boxer, and the very pleasant, suitable, somewhat bluesy music score. (Eric Clapton can be useful only when he plays other people's music.) The story, allegedly written by Rourke(?!), is all over the place. There isn't much plot here; mainly a series of scenes of how a strange cowboy-looking boxer from another dimension interacts with other people. Fairly original.

The girl's (love interest) character is simple enough, Rourke's is weird, as mentioned, while Walken's makes less sense. The movie seemed to be heading toward a simultaneous double-death finale, but I guess the producers or the movie company must have insisted (?) Rourke survive the boxing bout so as to avoid a tearjerker ending. The movie has that typical ugly late 80s look.

Overall, the first half is stronger than the second - which drifts a little more into clichés. I like the way the world is occasionally shown through Rourke's very blurred vision and impaired hearing.

If Rourke really did write this, then I guess he isn't quite as thick as I thought he was.

Really worth seeing, especially if you are into boxing.

[RatedVforVinny · 8/10 · 7 December 2019]

I'm really fond of this movie and watched it originally in a cinema in Paris (along with 'Barfly'), This is my all time favourite Mickey Rourke pictures. He's excellent in the role and later even became a pro boxer. There have been some authentic boxing films such as 'Fat City', 'Raging Bull' and more recently 'The Fighter' but this is moving and heartfelt. Really touching in moments and also stars the rather wonderful Christopher Walken. Sort of plays like a pugilistic version of 'Midnight Cowboy'. Rourke was in fact, trained for the part by the ex middleweight champ Iran Barkley, who was also the opponent in the first (exciting) fight scene.

This movie should be among the great boxing flicky in the history of cinema, wait, among great movies period.

[dupuifx · 10/10 · 23 September 2020]

This ain't Rocky, this is far more realistic as a movie, it takes place in the blood, sweat and tears and dirt and snot and slime of the 80's boxing ''local'' boxing scene. When people didn't had cellphone to get entertained and boxing was popular and some kind of a local entertainement. Wow, seriously, I watched the wrestler many times and never heard of this movie, the washed-up boxer Micky Rourke plays is as lovable as the washed-up wrestler we saw in the 2008 movie. Homeboy is the same kind of movie but different and the only thing they have in common beside having Mr. Rour key as their star is that their main characters hold on to their passion/job cause they don'the know anything else and it'seems the only thing they are good at. Even if their health is at risk. If you like fallen heroes, you'll fall in love with that movie, the cinematography is great, the music enhance the mood of the scenes (Clapton guitar work) and its something only Mickey Rourke can do as well as this. The only bad thing I noticed was the sound of the boxing gloves hitting was kind of weird, it's really important thing, especially in boxing flick, that you need to feel those punches via the sound effects they make. Watch that movie, you'll be disappointed.

Eddie Cook is the ultimate Johnny!

[juanmuscle · 10/10 · 18 June 2018]

What I love about 'Homeboy' (1988) so very much, its sweet, adorable and cute as opposed to its antithesis the quintessential puglirist Rocky which plunges the protagonist, after his crisis, into that fateful whirlwind for the Rocky series, this is no series, for there is no tripping on the lights fantastic moment, Johnny Walker is one of Rocky's stand-in beat up guys on the Champ's road to the top, but Mickey Rourke poses a wonderful question with this amazing write, 'This is still a human no? Even with his faults, does he not deserve a chance for his wonderful life?" Whether Johnny is in a band, or an artist or a plumber it does not matter, Fighting is what Mickey chose for Johnny as his vehicle to convey this universal message and ultimately transport us and finally transcend with one answer for the anti-hero Johnny Walker, yes he does, he does deserve his chance at a wonderful life! Unlike Rocky, this tale is gentle in its woebegone unfateful moment for a guy that is a descent boxer, whose biggest muscle is his heart, whose given up his cognizance for what he feels he does best, but in the wake of many a beatings he has lost enough for shiftless characters to take advantage of poor Johnny, who is one of the many lost souls who just really wants, needs to be held, who longs for the acceptance of a mother, of a father, who wants a shot at a universal give and take relationship based on love. As the tale unfolds we see the character tote the line between success and failure, good and bad, love and hate, reality and dreams unfortunately held too long which culminate to an appalling consequence held by beautiful youthful eyes fettered in a self-destructive habitude as the aging body crumbles and anon succumbs as our wayward stripling forges on with regret. Could he had been Rocky or just another has-been? But Johnny is not just another contender for his heart is his closest warrior in the biggest battles of life, to find a personal refuge. For Johnny there are no big flashy big fight sequences parlayed with big orgiastic parties, what I am saying is, there is life for the guy who is the punching bag in life and sometimes good things can happen even after a long string of unfortunate events, because sometimes its not just about winning, its about living and Eddie Cook, I feel composed one of the finest screenplays ever. Stellar in its raw simplicity. Mickeyyyyyyyyy!