Movie Stats:
Released 1969 (USA)
American, in English
Director – John Schlesinger
Stars – Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight
Plot Summary:
When Texas hayseed Joe Buck (Voight) makes his way to New
York City, intent on getting by as a gigolo, he ends up falling in with sickly
petty crook Ratso (Hoffman).
Warnings:
I feel that I’ve finally reached a time when I need to
provide warnings. This movie contains both male and female nudity, sex scenes,
and “blue” language (specifically: derogatory language toward homosexuals).
Bad Stuff:
It’s really, really weird. As in,
the-way-I-always-expect-1960s-movies-to-be-weird weird (i.e. psychedelic).
I don’t really see the “point” or the “message.” Unless the
point was to depress me, or to convince me that moving to NYC to be a
prostitute is a bad idea, but I knew that already. I think that I was supposed to connect with these characters, to really feel what they were going through, but I simply didn't. The tragic end didn't surprise me and I also didn't feel particularly upset about it. It was just all very "meh" to me.
Good Stuff:
At least it’s more realistic than that “hooker with a heart
of gold” crap like “Pretty Woman.”
Solid acting. Or, I at least found Voight believable as a
Texas hayseed (he hails from Yonkers) and Hoffman believable as a rough-edged,
tough-talking New Yorker (he hails from L.A.).
The Verdict:
I guess I don’t really have a lot to say. The 1960s have
been strange movie-wise because very few of the winners were set in 60s. For
that reason, I was excited for this one. I was hoping that it would provide a
better insight to the times, a la “The Graduate” (which, unfortunately, didn’t
win Best Picture). Instead, I thought it was slow, weird, and, ultimately,
forgettable. However, the psychedelic-ness of it did seem like a reasonable way
to send off the decade.
I can’t say that I recommend this one. Perhaps you should
watch it if you particularly enjoy either of these actors. Otherwise, don’t
bother.
I give the movie 2.75 stars.
2 comments:
Another movie I watched very late at night which added to the weirdness of it. For me it was kind of like, "Okay, I can check that off my list." I never saw what the big deal was, but I think maybe I had to be there.
Also, I wonder how many people see this movie AFTER having seen the "Jon Voight Car" episode of Seinfeld?
I'm not familiar with that episode of Seinfeld. I never watched that show regularly. Perhaps I'll have to check it out.
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