NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Brainsbell The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

Jakoba True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

sol- Unable to remember if he is responsible for a murder, an alcoholic writer recalls bits and pieces of the previous few days while conversing with his cynical father in this unusual film written and directed by Norman Mailer, based on his novel of the same name. With lead actor Ryan O'Neal narrating the film retrospectively, the unsolved murder theme and tons of shady characters, 'Tough Guys Don't Dance' has often been cited as a neo-noir but it is actually closer to a noir spoof with some comedic moments so bizarre that it is hard to tell if the humour was intentional or not. Whatever the case, the film benefits from memorably eccentric supporting characters and the capable likes of Penn Jillette and Wings Hauser try to make the most of the material, though there remains room to question whether the film would have been better played straight without the comedy angle. The central dynamic is certainly quite interesting with O'Neal torn internally as he solves the mystery, unsure of whether he is responsible and if he is, whether he truly wants to find out. The final product though is pretty messy and it is easy to see why the film received several Razzie nominations in its day.

Wizard-8 "Tough Guys Don't Dance" is one of the strangest movies I have seen for quite some time - and I've watched a LOT of movies! Technically the movie is sound, with good photography and well chosen location. But everything else is bizarre. All the characters in the movie speak oddly, unlike the people you usually encounter in various aspects of your life. The acting is also over the top at times, perhaps to compliment the strange dialogue. Those facts may turn off some viewers early, but I had to admit that those attributes to me made the movie compelling - for the first third or so. After that point, the movie starts to become very confusing. There are some things that are never explained, like the hero's new tattoo and his dog suddenly appearing in a scene. (Was the movie's length cut down in the editing room?) Still, I admit that the movie is probably unlike any other cinematic experience you've had, so more adventurous and patient viewers may find it very rewarding. And I have to also admit it's a heck of a lot better than Norman Mailer's earlier movie "Wild 90"!

AlanSquier Okay, now that I have your attention, I don't guarantee that you will rate this the 7/10 I do, even if you qualify as an intelligent and advanced film buff. However, I do believe you will find something to chew on here.It's written and directed by noted author Norman Maileer. And it's tough in every meaning of the word.The rough plot sounds like a rather typical noir. An excessively drinking author given to memory blackouts doesn't know if he committed a murder or not.Believe me, it's not that simple and Mailer takes us down a long winding and convoluted path before we know the whole story. At times, it seems ludicrous, and although I disagree with the Razzie noms it got, I understand. This is the type of movie which some will find inexorably bad.However, it weaves a spell and the tough will stay with it because it's addictive. You will laugh at inappropriate times and groan sometimes, and yet the very serious film buff will continue watching it, and be glad he/she did. And I do believe that many will find this rewarding although certainly not unflawed. Maybe Mailer wanted it flawed.As others mentioned, Wings Hauser is the perfect actor in this. However, Ryan O'Neal gave this his all, and veteran B film noir actor Lawrence Tierney also adds to this.Some will love it; some will hate it. I did neither, but I did enjoy it. There was a point, the chain connecting the characters in their sex lives and in the chain of violence.Love it or hate it, I suspect you will remember this one and not consider it a waste of time.

tonyg-4 This was a movie that started in the middle, jumped around and ended when the cast got too depleted. It is billed as a crime-drama but it watched more like a crime-comedy. I'm not sure whether the intent really was drama or comedy, but I had to laugh several times during the film. Despite this questionable intent the film was somewhat captivating and kept my attention. I wouldn't recommend it for youngsters due to the drug, sex and violence aspects.