One Word Movie

Factotum

The novels of Charles Bukowksi contain juicy dialogue, sordid characters, and a punchline every three pages. It's odd then, that none of the Bukowski films to date have been classics, and Factotum doesn't break that tradition. I mean, Barfly was OK to watch when you're drunk, but strictly when you're drunk.

The problem with Barfly is that Mickey Rourke does a very good Bukowski impersonation, and Matt Dillon doesn't measure up at all. He's too handsome and nice-looking and therefore fake. Bukowski isn't supposed to be a fucking affordable lifestyle. When he shacks up with Marissa Tomei you could be excused for thinking you'd walked into the middle of Franky and Johnny, the pathetically fake movie where Alfredo Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer play a pair of unattractive loners.

Also, I got the feeling that the movie didn't capture the narrative drive of Bukowski's writing. The 10-page sections that Bukowski's works are composed of are always heading towards a pay-off, and there's nothing of that in this film. There are four or five moments where you crack a smile, but that's because they managed not to fuck the script up.

I did think this was a shit movie. And it did occur to me that this and Manderley were both films made by Scandinavians about America, and had they ever been there?

posted by Chairman Peyote @ 11:08 AM