Customer Reviews

Fat City

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a great grim movie. Huston did a heckuva job adapting Gardner's novel, but he started with grim material and went deeper into it. One memorable scene is when Keech manages to shake off his wine hangover and walks outside his transient hotel to try and make a new start on his life. He boldy heads out on the sidewalk, does a bit of bobbing and weaving on the curb. He's ready to turn over that new leaf but looks around at the city, and you can watch the wheels turn in his head as the he decides to go back inside. Punchdrunk. Rummy. It didn't take long to whip him this round, and all his rounds are pretty much like this. But he doesn't quit, the fight is still in him. The rage is there, but the skill and conditioning is long gone, so are his chances. They can beat him, they could kill him but they don't bother. The thing is, you can knock him down but he won't stay down, and sometimes that's all it takes. Between the white port in the alley, working the onion fields and listening to the old boxers talking about their lives, you wonder just what he's really teaching his new protege', and why either one even bothers. It's called life. It's not much but it's all we get, so take a tip from an old pro and don't stay on the canvas. Susan Tyrell does a great job, deserved her Oscar nomination, but reminded me of too many former flames perched on that barstool. Hmmm. Perhaps I'm trapped in the same...whack! Ooof,I didn't see that one coming. Life keeps hitting me with so many lefts, I'm begging for a right. If you're able to extract inspiration from a movie filled with scenes from a very tough life, watch Fat City. If you're looking for something fluffy, ain't nothin' here but a scram. Take it on the arches, pal.

The only reason this product isn't getting five stars from me is the lack of extras. This is a much-overlooked film from one of our greatest directors, John Huston, who managed to get stellar performances from all three leads. Stacy Keach has never been better playing a "down on his luck" ex-fighter who has fallen into the clutches of alcoholism and seems to be satified with his fate. When he finds a young fighter in the form of Jeff Bridges in one of his early "star in the making" roles, he sees the hope of redemption. However he must first overcome the life he has willingly let himself wallow in, and one of the biggest obstacles to overcome is his enabler, played to perfection by the always magnificent Susan Tyrrell. Ms. Tyrell was at her peak in this Oscar-nominted performance and is one of the cinema's truly individual and singular actresses. Her portrayal of Keach's alcoholic "girlfriend" epitomizes the despair and hopelessness of someone who has lost their way in life and tries desperately to find it in a bottle. Even Meryl Streep's Oscar-nominated performance in Ironweed can't compare to Tyrrell's depiction of one of life's outcasts "on the skids" and apparently resigned to her fate. She is by far the main reason to see Fat City and to seek out her other performances, which include another Oscar-nominated one in Another Man, Another Chance. John Huston definitely elicited 3 stellar perfomances in Fat City and for that alone this film resonates long after the end-credits. A true standout!

Stacey Keach and Susan Tyrrell deliver Oscar caliber performance while Jeff Bridges launches a brilliant career in this 1972 epic, one of the best directorial efforts of the storied career of John Huston. Keach and Bridges play fighters trying to make a go of life in the tough world of professional boxing in Stockton, a delta city in Northern California.

Keach, living in a fleabag hotel, meets young Bridges at the local YMCA, where the former professional boxer has gone to work out. After enticing Bridges to spar a little, Keach is astonished when the younger man with the fast moves reveals he has never boxed, either amateur or professional. Keach suggests that Bridges look up his former manager, played by Nick Colasanto, at the Lido Gym.

Colasanto and his trainer, played by former ranked lightweight and welterweight, Art Aragon, waste no time in turning Bridges amateur. After Bridges' first workout Colasanto tells his wife that a good looking, clean cut "white kid" like Bridges should make a good crowd draw.

Keach falls on hard times, getting fired from his fry cook's job, going out early in the morning to work as a picker at nearby farms. He also forms a romantic relationship with hard luck Tyrrell, a heavy drinker, whose live in love, played by former world welterweight champion Curtis Cokes, has gone to jail on an assault charge. The fight was brought on by resentment of his interracial romance with Tyrrell. Meanwhile Keach moves in with Tyrrell.

When Keach, spurred on by Bridges' ring progress, decides to make a comeback, in his sober state he can no longer abide Tyrrell and moves out. When Cokes finishes serving his time he moves back in with her again.

Bridges has his own romantic involvement with Candy Clark. They make love in his car. She tells him she is pregnant and they get married.

Keach gets in shape and wins the first bought of his comeback against a Mexican fighter, played by noted light heavyweight boxer Sixto Rodriguez. What Keach does not know was that his opponent had passed blood in his hotel room and could not hold up to body blows, having been injured in a previous bout. All the same, he needs the money, and so he fights Keach anyway.

When all is said and done Keach, after Colasanto has taken out deductions for expenses such as room and board for his fighter, receives one hundred dollars. Keach becomes incensed, telling Colasanto once more about the time he let him down and, to save two hundred dollars, let him travel to Panama by himself for his most important fight against a local favorite, then ranked fifth in the world. With Keach ahead his cornermen, in an effort to win the bout for the Panamanian, administered cuts over both eyes with razor blades. This resulted in the referee stopping the bout. After that Keach's wife left him and his life spiraled rapidly downhill.

With resentment for Colasanto revived, a sulking Keach hits the skids once more, returning to heavy drinking. At the film's end he sees Bridges after the latter has sought to avoid him. Bridges tells him about his second child, and that he is still fighting professionally. As they sit in the coffee shop Keach gropes for meaning in life, wondering just where he is gone, fearful of how he will turn out.

Leonard Gardner adapted the screenplay from his own novel. Each had the same hard edge as the world he describes. He should know since it was his world. Gardner grew up in Stockton, boxed as an amateur, and wrote the novel while on the bum in Mexico.

This is not a review,but a request that "reviewers" stick to reviewing, and refrain from writing pointless plot outlines. That only detracts from the viewing pleasure of others, who have not yet seen the film - it is NOT the same thing as writing a review! A review could be defined as "a new appraisal or evaluation", or "an essay or article that gives a critical evaluation". By the way, this movie is not an "epic", as Mr. Hare states - far from it. It's a portrait of desperation and failure, a realistic portrayal of life at the bottom of the boxing game. The performances are terrific; the settings in 70s Stockton's rundown bars and coffee shops vary from garish to bleak, but all are a perfect matrix for the confusion and despair of the characters. If you haven't already read Mr. Hare's long "spoiler", don't bother - watch the film instead.

Not the most upbeat film, but absolutely remarkable. A gem from John Huston's later years. The whole cast does a spectacular job here-Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrell, Jeff Bridges and Candy Clark. The feeling this film leaves you with is a rare one and I just love it. An underapprecited masterpiece from a old master.

Directed by John Huston, this movie is about an over-the-hill boxer (Stacy Keach) and a young protege (Jeff Bridges) who hasn't the talent to make it anywhere near the top, but he doesn't know it yet. Keach captures well (without overdoing it) the man who is on the way down and falling fast but can still hang on to a few dreams. The difference between Keach and Bridges is that Keach learns (finally) that they are just dreams while Bridges remains disillusioned (mainly by his youth and lousy manager [Nicholas Colasanto]) and thinks that the dreams may come true. They never will. The boxing scenes are well photographed. At times the acting is stiff and forced, but the sad and poignant ending is the perfect closer for this fine movie.

In director John Huston's typically unsentimental style, "Fat City" is an interesting picture of fringe dwellers from Northern California. Amateur boxing is the film's selling point but Huston is more concerned with the inner-workings of these characters. Boxing is just the means to which these down-and-outers achieve some kind of glory in an existence that offers mostly rotten fruit. An excellent cast is assembled here with Stacy Keach as a hard-luck fighter who recently is more comfortable on a bar stool than in the ring, Jeff Bridges as an up-and-coming young fighter with impending fatherhood, Susan Tyrrell as Keach's drinking buddy girlfriend, and Nicholas Colasanto as a colorful boxing promoter. Gorgeous cinematography delivered by Conrad Hall.

One of those films that gets better the more it sits; `Fat City' is a truly astonishing portrait of the undying burden of broken dreams. The film takes three individuals, all resting at the bottom of their respective lives, all striving for something better, but it's getting there that proves the most disheartening.

Tully is a washed up boxer whose age is getting the better of him. He used to be so sturdy, so strong, yet now a simple sparring match causes him to hurt in places he never felt the pain before. Ernie is young and restless and aching for a chance at the big time, but life has a funny way of tossing you curveballs. Oma has been in and out of one bad relationship after another her whole life, and her idea of love and mutual respect has become so tarnished that she drowns herself in booze to escape the reality of her pointless existence.

All three of them have dreams that seem almost out of reach; but they try.

John Huston directs this film with a gritty realism that draws the audience in, placing them ringside in the struggles of these intriguing and touching people. There is a definite darkness that coagulates on every frame, but like the films stars, we are able to try and hold onto the glimmers of hope. There is a sharpness about this film; a resonating emotional connection that cuts at the viewer with a stark realism.

Much has been mentioned about the films ending, which is very poignant and very draining, so I won't really say much more. It's something each and every viewer should be able to experience on their own (well said A. N. O'Nemus) so I'll refrain from saying too much more.

I do want to take a minute to mention the fantastic performances here though, all three leads (with an ensemble piece I'm reluctant to really call them leads) are utterly amazing, especially the Oscar nominated Susan Tyrrell who just sinks into her characters hopelessness flawlessly. Jeff Bridges is also a major standout, proving early on in his career why he should be taken seriously. He did this film a year after his first Oscar nomination (for `The Last Picture Show') and this is nothing short of restrained, controlled and sincere. I have heard that Stacy Keach is an acquired taste, but since this is the only film of his that I have seen I must say that I must not need to adjust; for I felt he was stunning. His dedication and connection to the material is wonderful to watch. The fact that he is `down and out' is given an elevated relevance inside Keach's complete grasp of his characters situation. If there is a clear lead performance here, it is this one, and as such he commands the screen on each and every frame.

So, find this one (this is one of those hidden gems a lot of movie lovers may not have heard of) for it is a triumph on all levels. Like I said, the film makes more of an impact the longer it rests on us. The more we let the film settle the more we understand just why this movie is so poignant. This is truly a wonderful cinematic achievement.

First off, I just wish amazon reviewers would stop revealing so much of the plot. Not only that, it seems one reviewer after another tends to go over the same ground and revealing way more than they should--thus ruining it for those who have yet experienced the film.

Please think of those who would like to see the tale unfold for the first time without having had so much explained and the film "spoiled" for them.

Anyway, no more preaching. You know what it's about: a couple of fighters with big dreams and little ability to make those dreams happen.

It's brilliantly directed (by a former boxer himself) the late, great John Huston. Kudos to the cast and writer.
The ending is also memorable and stays with you. Once again, a tip of the hat goes to the film's helmer for having had the courage to do it this way.

Excellent gritty and realistic drama,a late masterwork from John Huston.Not at all your usual
boxing yarn,with Stacey Keach at his best,and a young Jeff Bridges.Full of intersting characters.