Rumble Fish

1983 "Rusty James can't live up to his brother's reputation. His brother can't live it down."
7.1| 1h34m| R| en| More Info
Released: 09 October 1983 Released
Producted By: Universal Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.rumblefishdvd.com/
Info

Rusty James, an absent-minded street thug, struggles to live up to his legendary older brother's reputation and longs for the days when gang warfare was going on.

Genre

Drama, Crime

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Director

Francis Ford Coppola

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

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Rumble Fish Audience Reviews

SunnyHello Nice effects though.
Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews
Crwthod A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.
Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Smoreni Zmaj This movie became one of my favorites before I even finished it and, in my opinion, it is one of the very best movies ever made. Everything in it is just perfect, from legendary cast, to strong story and great music, crowned with genius cinematography and directing. Absolute must watch for every movie lover.10/10
Scott LeBrun Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is an aimless teen aged tough who lives in the shadow of an older brother (Mickey Rourke). The older brother is a legend in his own time, known only by his nickname, "The Motorcycle Boy". More than anything, Rusty James would like to emulate his cooler-than-thou sibling, who never has felt completely comfortable about his reputation.This was the third S.E. Hinton adaptation for young actor Dillon, who'd previously performed in "Tex" and "The Outsiders". It was the second for master filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who had just worked with Dillon on "The Outsiders", and who ported over a number of the creative talent from that film. Coppola wrote the screenplay, with author Hinton (she also has a cameo as the hooker on the strip), and it's more adult than its predecessors, with a notable abundance of F bombs.Coppola pays tribute to the French New Wave and German Expressionism with this deliberately ultra-stylized production. He had cinematographer Stephen H. Burum shoot this in a high contrast black & white scheme, and creates a plethora of striking imagery. This is all accompanied by an experimental, sometimes percussion-driven music score by Stewart Copeland of The Police. The only problem for this viewer was that all this style tended to distance him from the story, which should have been a more interesting look at the perpetuation of myths, at a dysfunctional family, at loyalty, and at nostalgia. (Rusty James longs for the days of good old fashioned gangs and street fights, before drugs took over.)Most actors here do a creditable job. Both Dillon and Rourke are well cast, and ably supported by Diane Lane as a fed up girlfriend, Vincent Spano, Nicolas Cage, and Christopher Penn as Rusty James' circle of friends, Dennis Hopper as the alcoholic father, Laurence Fishburne as a character named "Midget", intimidating movie tough guy William Smith as a cynical cop, and singer Tom Waits as the diner owner Benny. Coppolas' daughter Sofia (billed as "Domino") gets an "introducing" credit for her role as Lanes' younger sister; character actor Tracey Walter has a bit as an alley mugger.This may not have been totally satisfying for this viewer, but it's still worth a look for fans of the cast, filmmaker, and author.Seven out of 10.
oOoBarracuda Rumble Fish is a little film talked about in Francis Ford Coppola's notable filmography, and one that everyone suffers from its lack of attention. Although a bold statement to make of the same director that The Godfather trilogy to life, a strong case can be made that Rumble Fish is Coppola's best. Rumble Fish was made in 1983, after Coppola's immensely successful Godfather parts II and III. Starring Matt Dillon and Mickey Rourke, Rumble Fish tells the story of a man who has been born in the wrong time, struggling to find his place in the world. A deeply exploratory film delving into the human conscience, Coppola proves himself, in a stunning way, beyond the mafia films he is best known for. The leader of a small gang losing its influence in an aging industrial town, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is struggling to find an avenue for himself in life. Constantly trying to live up to the name his older drifter brother, The Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke) created for himself, Rusty James seems destined to follow a meaningless path throughout his life. Rusty James' mother left her family, and his father (Dennis Hopper) became a drunk after departure. His brother constantly roamed about the world, leaving Rusty James to try to find his way in his town with little opportunity, with very few life skills. The only place Rusty James finds comfort and purpose are in the gang pursuits with his street hoodlum friends. Rusty James is met with a huge dilemma, however when it becomes glaringly obvious that the good ole' days he imagines where the street gangs ruled the neighborhoods is quickly fading into the past. There should be no question after viewing Rumble Fish that Francis Ford Coppola is one of the best auteurs of our time. Each aspect of the film comes together to make an incredible final product that will stay with the audience weeks after viewing. Shot in amazing black and white, Coppola illustrates his amazing directorial prowess. Making the decision to shoot a film about a kid who is living in the past in stunning black and white shows the genius of the filmmaker. The sounds he chooses were also incredible to the plot. The simple sounds that filled the film did well to emphasize the incredible story line as we follow Rusty James' search for meaning. The camera work in this film is the best I've seen in a long time. Coppola's use of foreground, middle ground, and background to each tell an integral part of the story was incredibly executed to bring the entire film together. I am a viewer that is sensitive to film lighting. I ascribe to the school of thought that lighting can make or break a film. The lighting in Rumble Fish takes on a character of its own, which is impressive for a black and white film. The shadows utilized in the film prove Coppola to be one of the best directors at capturing the subtleties of life and what they mean to the big picture of a film. In the striking scene in the pet store where we meet the rumble fish, we see that Spielberg was obviously influenced by Coppola, and borrowed from Rumble Fish for his Schindler's List. The beautiful ending of Rumble Fish brings to a close a brilliant period piece that doesn't try too hard, easily resulting in Coppola's best film.I can think of no ill words for Rumble Fish, and I am hard on movies as the art form that they are. Coppola truly shows his prowess as a director with this beautiful black and white, brilliantly scored film. The acting was wonderful, but you really don't notice it much because you're captivated by the film's production aspects from the very beginning. If you haven't seen Rumble Fish, do yourself a favor and watch it as soon as you can.
PWNYCNY This is a message movie. Everything in this movie is meant to have deep, symbolic meaning. The problem is: trying to decipher those meanings. If a story cannot be understood, then the movie loses its value as drama. The principal character, Rusty James, is a young man trying to find himself. The setting for the story is surrealistic, which gives the movie a certain off-beat avant-garde quality. Although a wise-guy, Rusty James has certain endearing qualities, which makes him someone with whom the audience can empathize. The movie is about consciousness-raising. When his older brother, played by Mickey O'Rourke, enters the story, Rusty James is forced is deal with the emptiness of his life. To find out how he deals with that revelation, watch the movie.