Customer Reviews

Homeboy [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I would rank "Homeboy" along with "Body & Soul" (starring John Garfield),"Rocky" (the first one), "Raging Bull" and "Peniteniary" as one of the best boxing films ever made. A very moody, dark film that is well acted and directed. Mickey Rourke is at the top of his game in this one.

It's no contest: "Homeboy" is a terrible movie. Which is really sad to say because it had so much potential. Mickey Rourke and Christopher Walken? Musical score by Eric Clapton? How could it miss? Okay, the script is awful and Mickey must take the blame for this because he wrote it. Mickey's character says about three lines in the first 45 minutes of the movie so it is extremely hard to understand him or, worse, care about him. Walken brings his trademark quirkiness to his role but he is stuck doing an exruciating stage act in a seedy strip joint, among other things. You would think that Mickey Rourke would have a lot to say about boxing in this movie, given his ring experience. But this movie isn't about boxing at all. By the last third of the movie, some mildly interesting things are going on: a budding romance (the actress was Mickey's wife at the time), a plan for a heist, a boxing match thrown in for some reason. With a better script and a better director, this movie could have been a contender. As it is, it doesn't make it out of the first round. This movie is only for die-hard fans of Mickey, Walken and Eric Clapton, the only ones who will have any reason to sit through it until the final bell.

This is a great CD! This collection of themes from the Mickey Rourke film "Homeboy" has no Clapton vocals, but some of his best film music work, in my opinion. The "Ruby" themes are beautiful acoustic guitar work and then Clapton and bassist Nathan East do an electric "Dixie" that is reminiscent of the famous Jimi Hendrix "Star Spangled Banner"... A definite "must have" for those who appreciate Clapton's work.

Eric Clapton's music fit the film scenes for Homeboy perfectly! The film is dark and moody, yet ends with hope - just like Clapton's particular compositions for certain key scenes. Rent the film and you'll fall in love with this CD even more so!

This film may not be everyone's cup-of-tea, but I highly reccomend it. Sure, its dark and painful but it also shows a moment of light coming to a broken soul. Mickey Rourke's performance is incredibly risky and unusual. He plays an aging alcoholic, possibly brain damaged boxer who's practically mute. Rourke wrote the screen play (under the name, Eddie Cook) but the lead character he portrays has probably no more than a page of dialogue - he's able to deliver a heartbreaking perfomance almost solely through his incredible physical presence. This is the performance that Bob Dylan raved about in his book "Chronicles" and although it ended up being nothing like what I imagined, it is so profoundly moving and poetic that its continued to haunt me. I found it even better on the second viewing. Like, "The Wrestler" it draws certain elements from Rourke's life (in this case, his childhood) but its also quite different in how it achieves its effect. If one expects to see the Rourke charm as displayed in "The Pope Of Greenwich Village" or even in "The Wrestler" one may be disappointed. "Homeboy" is about a character almost totally cut off from the world. I've heard people say its filled with boxing cliches but the reality is that it takes those cliches and turns them on their head. There's no struggle for respect or redemption with cheering crowds and triumphant music. This film is like a blues and thats one reason that Eric Clapton's soulful score works so well. Another great performance by Mickey Rourke.

A quote from Bob Dylan about Mickey Rourke in Homeboy, "He could break your heart with a look. The movie traveled to the moon every time he came onto the screen. Nobody could hold a candle to him. He was just there, didn't have to say hello or goodbye."

An amazing performance by Mickey Rourke. I hope this is turned into a DVD.

The guitar pieces are great, Eric Clapton and the other artists who have created tracks especially for this, have done themselves proud. Very moody, bluesy, country, a melting pot of musical influences and emotions, very much like the film. I would recommend watching the film as well as playing this soundtrack - the music is a great backdrop to it.

Pretty Baby by JJ Hutto & The New Hawks is a fantastic tune, amongst the others.

My favourites though are the last two, Dixie and Homeboy. If you watch the film, Dixie is at the climax or focal point of the film, and once this is concluded, Homeboy quietly begins and gently rounds off the film in a beautiful way.

You might not like the film, guess it's not everyones cup of tea, but I think its a masterpiece and wonderfully crafted. Incidentally you will see credits on the film for "Eddie Cook". This is actually Mickey Rourke.

Being a big fan of Rourke, Walken and Polito, I bought this dvd in hopes that it would be a gritty and interesting watch. Unfortunately I was less than impressed with this low-budget affair. First off, the audio and picture transfer are woeful on this dvd. The quality is equal to that of a VHS recording- the presentation is cheap in every respect. But how was the actual movie?
Well, it becomes pretty apparent early on that this is a film content with moving only through the low gears. Mickey Rourke does a very odd thing here... He pulls a face throughout the movie that is very strange indeed. He actually looks like a stroke victim, and the effect on the viewer is a little disconcerting. My wife kept laughing throughout, saying, "What the hell is he doing with his face?" I was asking the same thing.
Mickey Rourke plays Johnny Walker- a washed-up, punchdrunk fighter nearing the end of his career. He doesn't say much, but when he does he comes across more like Mickey Dork than Mickey Rourke... "What are Granny Smith's? What does Jewish mean?" He is so simple it is laughable- a case of the writer laying it on a little thick (Excuse the pun).
Christopher Walken plays it mostly for laughs, like he knows he is in a terrible movie and is just happy to be getting paid. His little cabaret act really needs to be seen to be believed. It surely must be the nadir of Walken's patchy career.The love-interest is so bland and wooden as to be completely forgettable. Polito is criminally underused. The score by Eric Clapton is cheesy and unexciting.The fight scenes are a lot more realistic than Rocky but the blocking is so bad that you can see that no punch ever really lands. Also, the fights are very unexciting.
If you want to see Rourke play a washed-up sportsman then go and watch The Wrestler. I hate to be predictable and say that, but at least that film is well-written and brilliant directed by Aranofsky. This in comparison is just a lumpen mess- a bit like Rourke's once beautiful face.

The guy doesn't even talk!! and when he does say something you just want him to stfu because his voice sounds so annoying.

Not to mention, the character Mickey plays is an asshoe... Nothing to cheer for.

This film is somewhat formulaic in that it
tries to balance the good and the bad amongst
our protagonist.
Unfortunately our "hero" is a man of few words.
He instead is allowed to let a shrug, or distant
look to take the place of dialogue. Personally,
this does not do it for me.
The side story with Christopher Walken is weak
and does not add to the story in a significant way.
Personally, I am considering offering this DVD to
my local library, though I'll probably give it one
more viewing for good luck.