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Fat City (1972)

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All Critics
Top Critics

100

Average Rating: 8.7/10
Reviews Counted: 18
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 0

No consensus yet.

100

Average Rating: 8.1/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 0

No consensus yet.

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liked it
Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 1,860

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Movie Info

With a screenplay adapted by Leonard Gardner from his own novel, John Huston's drama examines the meager hopes and resigned dreams of small-time boxers. In limbo between retirement and his youthful prime, alcoholic farm laborer Tully (Stacy Keach) shacks up with fellow outcast Oma (Susan Tyrrell) and keeps trying to make a boxing comeback, but his personal demons repeatedly overpower his ambitions. Meanwhile, fellow Stockton, CA resident and budding fighter Ernie (Jeff Bridges) takes Tully's

PG, 1 hr. 36 min.

Drama, Classics

Directed By: John Huston

Written By: Leonard Gardner

In Theaters: Jul 26, 1972 Wide

On DVD: Dec 10, 2002

Cast

Critic Reviews for Fat City

All Critics (18) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (0) | DVD (6)

A terse, sharp, downbeat but compassionate look at the underside of smalltown American life in the west.

January 29, 2010 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

The movie is crafty work and very much a show. In one way or another, right down to the percussively abrupt open ending, it's all about being hammered.

September 15, 2009 Full Review Source: Village Voice

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J. Hoberman

Village Voice

Top Critic

The movie's edges are filled with small, perfect character performances.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Mr. Gardner's screenplay, of course, is something quite special, full of the kind of dialogue that movies usually can't afford, that defines time, place, mood, and character while seemingly going nowhere.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

John Huston's 1972 restatement of his theme of perpetual loss is intelligently understated.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

Both an extraordinarily realistic look at the bottom rungs of the fight game and a moving exploration of the human condition.

January 29, 2010 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Fat City is most notable for terrific performances all around, especially those of Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrell, and a baby-faced Jeff Bridges.

August 30, 2009 Full Review Source: Film and Felt

| Comment

Gabe Leibowitz

Film and Felt

Grim and downbeat, John Huston's superlative drama about a bunch of losers in Stockton California is splendidly acted by Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, and particularly Susan Tyrrell in a well-deserved Oscar nominated turn.

August 4, 2009 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

Marvellous, grimly downbeat study of desperate lives and the escape routes people construct for themselves, stunningly shot by Conrad Hall.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

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Tom Milne

Time Out

The downbeat sports drama is a marvelous understated character study of the marginalized leading desperate lives.

February 2, 2005 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Huston really gets the flavor of Stockton, CA, and with its run-down drinking establishments, sleazy gyms, and bad coffee joints.

October 19, 2004 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

There's very little let-up in the gloom and it's best simply to concentrate on the excellent acting, with Tyrrell's Oscar-nominated turn outstanding.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

An insightful, humanist masterwork.

December 23, 2002 Full Review Source: Film Freak Central

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Bill Chambers

Film Freak Central

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Audience Reviews for Fat City

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John Huston's pictures are humane. All he had was sympathy and respect for those men and women born losers, survivors, ordinary people with struggles, sacrifices, constant boredom, values, cares, hopes, little but fruitful victories, plus scattered and rare but strong connections between them, that help to make it

July 11, 2007

Pierluigi Puccini

Super Reviewer

a really good and gritty drama that must contain the performance of stacy keach's career. he plays a washed up fighter pushing 30 who meets young jeff bridges on his way up. and just who the hell is susan tyrell? i wanted to slap her in every scene. outstanding performance. it's a downer but a beautifully done

June 11, 2009