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Barfly (1987)

Director: Barbet Schroeder

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2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Rourke plays one Henry Chimaski, habitué of the Golden Horn, a '40s down-town LA dive where no iceman cometh, but one day battered princess Wanda (Dunaway) does. A few hard days' nights in Wanda's flat has the two barflies abandoning their tentative move towards a mutual expression of need in favour of rejoining the death-wish trail. Chimaski is as articulate as a lorry, so the arrival of 'beautiful' literary agent Tully (Krige) in pursuit of his genius and punchy charm comes as a surprise; his refusal of her largesse is merely a chance to show Integrity. Schroeder's direction of Charles Bukowski's script is consistent with the film's throwaway mood, stresses the upbeat, and mercifully eschews seriousness, cleverly relying on Robby Müller's efficient colour photography to create atmosphere.

Author: WH

Time Out Film Guide


User reviews of this film

  • cambalache said...
    Posted on May 05 2009 01:17 no es una película para todos los gustos, es de un sentido del humor cercano a lo trágico, con un protagonista borracho, pero poeta a la vez. muy interesante.
    Report as inappropriate
  • mr.mike said...
    Posted on Mar 11 2008 16:00 Very good , but "Ironweed" packed a stronger punch.
    Report as inappropriate

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