Johnny Handsome (1989)

[Shampoodler 1489]

This movie is not good. Big name cast and most of them are terrible in it, Lance Henriksen and Ellen Barkin being the worst of the bunch. You can't understand anything Mickey Rourke says for the first 25 minutes. No spoilers but the ending scene contains a pistol that apparently holds 50 rounds. Worth a watch if you enjoy weird ones.

 

[AbeFroman 70]

It's a little dated, but Johnny Handsome is an effective, underrated little noir from Walter Hill. Rourke is actually awesome in this and it was great to see Elizabeth McGovern cast against type. Also, it's always great to see Morgan Freeman in badass mode.

[Shampoodler 1489]

I don't think I'd call it effective. There's almost no setup between Rourke's character and the guy he's avenging, Lance Henriksen is cast as a scary badass who looks like he weighs 90lbs, Forest Whitaker drops his accent every other scene, Elizabeth McGovern reads her lines with an incredibly hokey accent and sometimes no punctuation, and the bar Henriksen and Barkin scheme to take over from Rourke's buddy is a dump that doesn't look like any kind of investment. Also, there is a truck jump scare for no reason leading into the final scene. I think it would make for a decent HDTGM, plus hearing June overly sympathize with Johnny would be fun.

[AbeFroman 70]

The lack of setup between Rourke and his friend is due to the film being gutted in post-production. The scars of the first act are visible in that first 10 minutes with the truncated setup of characters and the heist itself.

 

After that, the film finds its footing and Rourke is truly fantastic. Walter Hill intended the film to be a throwback to noir films if the 30s and 40s.

 

How wild is it that Rourke eventually started to look like the pre-surgical Johnny, especially in The Wrestler?

[Shampoodler 1489]

Definitely some foreshadowing re. Mickey's eventual mug.

 

Lance Henriksen only made me laugh in this movie. The earring, his tight little cowboy western outfit at the bar, and his huffing a popper before the heist were the highlights. I guess he likes a relaxed anus while heisting.