"The Mirror Has Two Faces"

FAT CITY

Year: 1972
Country: United States
Language: English, Spanish
Number: 552
Director: John Huston
Starring: Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Susan Tyrrell, Candy Clark
Oscar nomination: Best Supporting Actress (Susan Tyrrell)

John Huston's Fat City is the story about the former boxer Billy Tully (Stacy Keach) who after a divorce struggles to find a job, or in other words: a job he likes. He also discover the nineteen-year-old boy, Ernie Munger (Jeff Bridges) at the YMCA and recommends him to his former trainer. Ernie follows Billy's advice and start boxing, while Billy is trying to get back into boxing himself. But he has troubles with his nagging alcoholic girlfriend, Oma (Susan Tyrrell). Ernie also have girl problems himself, by being mentally forced into marry his girlfriend, Faye. In a way, both Billy and Ernie mirror each other.

Fat City is not one of Huston's greatest films, but he proves to us that he's able to keep up with the times, with this contemporary drama. I really liked Stacy Keach rough performance as the veteran boxer that might have an ace up his sleeve. And also the young Jeff Bridges does a fine performance as the rookie kid whom we know are doomed to end up like Keach's character. Although Susan Tyrrell's performance was the one that got an Oscar nomination, I was actually not that impressed by her performance. I felt it was some overacting, or I just found her character annoying. Overall, I liked Fat City, specially it's characters and the music. It was a little boring sometimes, but I liked it fair enough. I only wish there were more boxing. Thumbs up.

Grade: B-

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