Rating: R
Genre:
Drama
Release Date: 09/08/1998
SubTitles: French/Espanol/English
Dubbed: English
Sound: DDS
Run Time: 94 min
Distributor/Studio: Universal Studios
One of two
S.E. Hinton novels
Francis Ford Coppola directed in 1983,
Rumble Fish is a stylized black-and-white film about the death of gang culture in a rough-and-tumble town full of stunted youths. The central character is the strutting
Rusty James (
Matt Dillon), a foul-mouthed lunkhead clad in sweaty tank tops, who passes his time at the billiards hall waiting for "something" to happen in his life. That something might be the return of his brother, known only as
the Motorcycle Boy (
Mickey Rourke), from exile in California. Charismatic and intelligent,
the Motorcycle Boy once led numerous wide-eyed followers into battle, into the "rumbles" once commonplace in town.
Rusty James wants to take over that role, but lacks the smarts necessary for leadership, nearly getting himself killed in an opening fight.
The Motorcycle Boy stops the fight with equal parts efficiency and cool, and
Rusty James seems delighted by his brother's return. But it quickly becomes clear that a local cop (
William Smith) is still gunning for
the Motorcycle Boy, waiting for him to slip up, even though the mysterious youth has developed a weary philosophy of life and a skeptical view of his former power. As
the Motorcycle Boy seems more and more distant, lost in deaf and color-blind fugues,
Rusty James gets into greater trouble, running afoul of his girlfriend (
Diane Lane) and friends (
Nicolas Cage,
Christopher Penn,
Vincent Spano), and seeming on the path to destruction.
~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
;)
