HOMEBOY
US, 1988, 118 minutes, Colour.
Mickey Rourke, Christopher Walken, Ruben Blades.
Directed by Michael Seresin.
Homeboy is a boxing melodrama which received minimal release. It has echoes of Rocky, as to most boxing films from the mid-'70s. However, it is set in a more squalid society and Mickey Rourke's Johnny is certainly not the kind of hero presented by Sylvester Stallone.
The film is a Mickey Rourke vehicle - a down and out boxer who could made something of himself in a city but gets mixed up with crooks and is suffering from brain damage. The film has a very downbeat tone. Co-starring is Christopher Walken - in a role that he does particularly well, the genial conman who really is callous, superficial and criminal.
The film was directed by director of photography (for some Alan Parker films) Michael Seresin.
No better, no worse than many other boxing films - but grim tone.
1.The popularity of boxing films? The tradition of boxing films from the downbeat films of the '40s to Rocky? The place of this film in the tradition?
2.The American city, squalid, the bars, gymnasiums and the seedy atmosphere? The contrast with the carnival and the sea? Authentic atmosphere, seedy? Musical score and songs?
3.The title and Mickey Rourke's performance? Johnny's arrival, awkward, meeting people, the bar, the boxing, his blurred vision and health? To live or to die?
4.Johnny's character: his boxing skills, not so bright in his mind, training, bouts, friends? Wesley and the build-up? Smooth talk? The visit to the doctor and Wesley concealing the truth? The robbery and Wesley wanting Johnny to be involved, be exploited? The encounter with Ruby and the ponies, the carnival, helping her, the soda, talking, the growing relationship? Love, sexual encounter? Being able to tell his story? Hearing hers? The deep sensitivity in him? The final bout, the training? His friendship with the gymnasium personnel, black and white, trainers, not exploiting him but trying to get the best out of him? Wes and the drug dealer, the girls and his distance? The fight, not wanting to do the robbery (and not knowing what Jewish meant)? The final battle in the ring, Wesley and the truth, his sitting down and losing - willing himself to die?
5.Ruby, the young woman alone at the carnival, her work with the ponies, the toughs and Johnny's intervention? Managing, toughness and niceness? Friendship with Johnny, the ability to talk, relate? At the seashore? The work on the carousel and renewing it? Watching the final fight, her sadness? The end - and the carousel going and her looking for Johnny?
6.Wes, the conman type, on parole, smooth clothes and talk, off-key singing at the strip club? Interested in the fights, befriending Johnny, adopting him? Talking, the drug-taker, arranging for the prostitutes to come in? The drug man, the planning of the robbery, the despising of the Jews? The double-dealing by the drug-taker? Johnny refusing? The deal, going to the robbery disguised as Jews, the drug man's betrayal, the chase, Wes shot?
7.The drug-taker, his needs, police informer? The beeper? With the girls? The plan, the disguise, driving off and leaving Wes?
8.The boxing fraternity, the fighters, the trainers? The bouts, the prize-fights, the referees? The response of the crowd?
9.The Rocky variation: the down and outer and the possibility of success? The variation with no hope?
10.The film as a pessimistic slice of American life?
