Barfly (1987)
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 18
Fresh: 14 | Rotten: 4
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1
liked it
Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 7,224
My Rating
Movie Info
Charles Bukowski, the talented crown prince of self-abuse, wrote the short stories upon which the surprisingly entertaining Barfly was based. The film concentrates on alcoholic writer Mickey Rourke (the Bukowski alter ego) who carries on a hate-hate relationship with bartender Frank Stallone. Rourke makes the acquaintance of another of society's castaways, Faye Dunaway, who in addition to being a souse is said to be crazy. They move in together, even though Dunaway all but promises to be
Oct 16, 1987 Wide
Sep 3, 2002
Cannon Releasing
Cast
-
Mickey Rourke
Henry Chinaski -
Faye Dunaway
Willa Wilcox -
Alice Krige
Tully Sorenson -
Jack Nance
Detective -
J.C. Quinn
Jim -
Frank Stallone
Eddie -
Wil Albert
Carl -
Roberta Bassin
Lily -
Carlos Cervantes
Cop -
Rik Colitti
Jack The Window Washer -
Vance Colvig
Alcoholic Man -
Fritz Feld
Bum -
Albert Henderson
Louie -
Damon Hines
Black Kid -
Ronald G. Joseph
Liquor Store Clerk -
Gloria Le Roy
Grandma Moses -
Sandy Martin
Janice -
Donald L. Norden
Man in alley -
Julie "Sunny" Pearson
Hooker in Bar -
Stacey Pickren
Lady Manager -
Joe Rice
Old Man in Bar -
Debbie Lynn Ross
Lovebird Woman -
George Marshall Ruge
Lovebird Man -
Hal Shafer
Mike -
Pearl Shear
Helen -
Leonard Termo
Harry -
Joe Unger
Ben -
-
Michael Collins
"Elbow Inn" Bartender -
Zeke Manners
Roger -
Sandy Rose
Louie's Woman -
Peter Conti
Cop -
Lahmard J. Tate
Black Kid -
Harry Cohn
Rick
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Barfly Trailer & Photos
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (4) | DVD (10)
The first four letters say it all.
Top CriticMickey Rourke gives a splendid performance as Bukowski's alter ego, the boozy, offbeat and eccentric writer, and he also brings the best out of Faye Dunaway as his unstable companion.
As I write about Barfly, I do seem to be talking myself into greater admiration for it, or at least into a sense of welcome design beneath its superficial inertia.
Charles Bukowski's semi-autobiographical short story-cum-screenplay is rich fodder for filmmaker Schroeder, who squeezes all the available juice out of it in a sensitively directed film
A lowlife seriocomedy.
An audacious movie about skid-row existentialism.
Captures Bukowski well.
Rourke and Dunaway are dynamite
Audience Reviews for Barfly
Super Reviewer
Henry(Roarke) spends most of his time at the bar, getting into the occasional fistfight with the bartender Eddie which is so well portrayed by Frank Stallone, and gets involved with a haggard alcoholic portrayed by Faye Dunaway. Henry puts all the money he wins from his streetfights into his drink of choice, scotch and water, and occasionally buys one for the house, "To all my friends!"
There's really not much going on with the story itself, but this film is simply entertaining, and manages to keep some humor in it's dim premise. Simplicity is usually better, and this film is a good example of what can be done when the right group of artists are put together.
Super Reviewer
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- Henry Chinaski: Your mother's cunt stinks like carpet cleaner.
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- Henry Chinaski: Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.
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- Henry Chinaski: Don't worry, nobody's loved me yet.
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- Henry Chinaski: It takes a special talent to be a drunk. It takes endurance.
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Foreign Titles
- Barfly (1987) (DE)
- Barfly (1987) (UK)
