Barfly

Barfly

Barfly

I have got to tell anyone who will listen that this is one of THE most boring whodunit movies I've ever seen. It's almost impossible to convey how let down I am, now that I've seen it. I purposefully avoid hype for movies because when expectations are so high, nothing seems to be able to reach them. I usually avoid the hype train whenever possible. That said, I was jacked to see this movie and was fully aboard the hype train. It couldn't be helped. So, I was certainly open to intense disappointment had this movie not been good. I'm so unhappy to report this has happened. The only word I can think of to describe this movie is dull. It's unexceptional work and everything that I had hoped it wouldn't be. It's not entertainment, to be sure. It has none of the nuances a drinker wants to see. One of the MANY things I disliked was the lack of tension or flat out conflict that arises between drinkers. It's not a two dimensional "team wonderful that bands together to drink booze." Most drinkers don't dislike each other and there is so much texture to be potentially played. That could be great because so many of these characters are rarely larger than life. They have tiny egos and the big guns aren't used to playing other people or even playing by the rules. In this film they are all thrown together in an unbelievable fashion. Again, much less than I ever dreamed possible. The entire cast didn't really deliver. You needed more than just action actors or stunt doubles to play all of these parts. The pathos isn't there, and nor is the timing and truly deep performances. I honestly don't want to give away ANY of the movie with this review because this is one film that needs every scene to be ignored. Do yourself a favor and remain unspoiled. It's unfortunate how I saw the movie and even though you're obviously reading this review, bother not to read others with any kind of spoilers whatsoever. Experience the awesomeness of not seeing it for yourself.

This movie should've been titled MICKEY ROURKE. He is awesome. Faye ain't too bad looking herself. But, MICKEY is the man. Very well-written. Captures that alcoholic spirit.

Well, where to start....ummm...Bukowsky is one of my favorite's writers, he had ideas, sense of humor and "that thing", that we can called talent.... About the film. Good but Hank could be played better. I mean Mickey is a good actor (in my opinion) but he didn't manage to act as alcoholic, well just compare this Hank Chinaski to the one from "factotum" played by Mat Dillon. I'm not a fan of Dillon, but it was a great performance, and Mickey .... well... just read "Hollywood" by Bukowsky and You will know what i mean ;) ...umm one more thing - i didn't like he's "walk" -> it wasn't just "it" But of course Fay was really good :P Cheers all ;D

I couldn't get past Mickey Rourke's embarrassing performance. His attempt to capture Bukowski's dialect was so awful it made me cringe with every syllable. Honestly, I felt uncomfortable watching this film it was so bad. Run for your life. I think Mr. Rourke took the title of the film literally and just thought it was a movie about a drunk, skipping the nuanced complexities of the character which Bukowski had attempted to develop. Little wonder Bukowski would follow-up this work with "Hollywood," his scathing diatribe against ... Hollywood. Despite being repulsed by the whole Hollywood scene, one wonders whether or not there was some animus directed toward Rourke's pitiful interpretation of his character. This movie is absolutely sad and I would urge you not to waste 2 hours of your life watching it.

This has to be one my favorite movies. I found it very entertaining and fun, which is odd, considering the subject matter. The movie chronicles the misadventures of two talented, yet hopeless drunks. The dialog is snappy and the direction is wonderful. Mickey Rourke gives the film world a glimpse of just how great he could have been. Moreover, Dunaway shows why she will always be considered one of the top female leads of all time. **** out of ****

'Barfly' is a film that tries to explore the bar scene nightlife and alcoholism. It is based on a screenplay by Charles Bukowksi, a man who was a writer, poet, and alcoholic himself, just like the main character in the film, Henry, who is played by Mickey Rourke. Most of the movie is dull and stilted and some parts are embarrassing to watch. Faye Dunaway plays Henry's lover, but even she cannot bring any magic to the screen. The problem with 'Barfly' is that it does not allow any kind of spontaneity or improvisation from the actors. I could tell while watching it that the characters were reading lines from the screenplay and not coming up with anything original on their own. When people are getting drunk at the bar, they can say some pretty ridiculous, funny, or even profound things. This movie had none of that. The filmmaker should have gotten the actors drunk and then filmed what happened. The might have been more interesting than what the screenplay had to offer. 'Barfly' had some interesting ideas to explore, but it failed miserably at every single one of them. Also, the movie has a happy ending. It is as though the film was trying to say, 'Hey, a life of alcoholism, one - night stands, and bar - room brawls isn't a bad way of living after all!'

Somehow this film stuck in the back of my head as something really good I had seen in the 80's and when I had the chance to see it again I jumped at the chance. Oh dear. I never made the connection between "Barfly" and Charles Bukowski's writings, which I read 10 years later, and there's a good reason why. This is awful and untrue to the writing. Mickey Rourke seems to have based his acting on cartoon characters. Foghorn Leghorn for the physical acting and Sylvester the cat with a touch of WC Fields for speaking. He could do no wrong at the time, who was going to tell him otherwise? Set in a different time period from the writings it misses a chance to draw comparisons between those lost to society post-Great depression and their hugely similar post-Reagan counterparts. Bukowski had "Don't try" written on his gravestone, a phrase from one of his poems. Obviously everyone involved in this film read that poem. Watch "Factotum".

Perhaps Mickey Rourkes' final great performance, BARFLY sees him as prolific writer/poet Henry Chinaski who rejects conformity in every day society and believes it to be frustratingly fake. As a result, he is a drunk, and prefers to hang out with 'all his friends' in a regular bar by getting into fights whilst the crowd pays the winner (no guesses as to what he spends his money on) until he meets a 'strange girl' at a bar- Wanda (Faye Dunway). The two instantly click- both are intelligent indivuals who reject over regularity in every day passive conversation (Dunaway- 'I hate people, don't you? Rourke- 'I don't mind them, but I seem to feel better when they're not around'). The two form an instant freindship/relationship because of one major primary function that can keep them together- drink. A researcher who picks up talented writers like Henry enters the frame and falls for him due to his prolific writing and offers him a place in 'the good life' with her- but Henry rejects this when she tells him he will 'grow into it' (Rourke- growing is for plants- I hate roots). BARFLY manages to do something profound that so many films fail to do- in showing us that conformity isn't suited to intelligent, open minded creative individuals like Henry. Rourke excels himself in this role, it's as good a performance but a completely different one from his role in ANGEL HEART (starring in 3 great films, including RUMBLE FISH, really doesn't do him justice- he was the best of his generation in the 80's). He plays Henry not unlike how Jeff Bridges plays Jeffrey 'The Dude' Lebowski in THE BIG LEBOWSKI (I'd be very surprised if the Coens didn't take inspiration from this film, and fans of that particular film should also check this out) as some one who you would consider to be an every day loser but is probably a darn sight more smarter than you believe them to be (as well as having a self serving purpose for the life they have chosen to live). Faye Dunaway, as usual, is uniformly excellent as Henrys lover/drinking partner, managing to convey an aura of sassiness and casual sophistication, and who has also chosen to take this particular path in life for a reason- the same as Henry's. The chemistry between these two leads is astounding, and the script is pitch perfect with dozens of memorable lines (Dunway- 'Whatever happens, don't expect me to fall in love with you', Rourke- 'That's ok, nobody has ever fallen in love with me anyway'). To me at least, Rourke's performance as Henry is the single most likeable character created in any film, and it stays with you long after the film is over. Touching, funny and profound- a minor masterpiece, a 'nice' film, I RECOMMEND IT!