If Martin Scorsese directed a movie in slow motion and dirtied it up a little more, he'd get the ultimate foray into a humans bout with alcoholism. So here, I give you the little seen gem from 1987, Barfly.Mickey Rourke in the title role, takes method acting to a whole new level. I'm not sure what happened between takes, but I feel that he might have stayed in character, didn't shower, probably wore the same clothes, and went by the name of his lead, Henry Chinaski. He drinks like a fish, inhabits the slumming L.A. bars, and gets into fights with a bartender named Eddie (played effectively by Sly Stallone's brother, Frank Stallone). When he's not fighting, failing to pay his rent, and aspiring to be a writer, he gets the attention of a beautiful older woman (another drunk played by Faye Dunaway as Wanda Wilcox). They form an interesting relationship that anchors a large majority of what's on screen. As they wallow in their drunkenness, Henry is pursued by a detective and a women news writer who wants to publish one of his stories.Almost feeling like a film told in a dreamlike state, Barfly is a character study that revels in irony and self-loathing. It's dirty, free forming, and harbors grubby, all too realistic performances. The side characters are people who you'd find in an alley and kinda look like homeless vagabonds. This is truly Los Angeles at its most depressing and most hideous. The script is based on the writings and life of the famed novelist Charles Bukowski. And the short running time sort of ends and begins in the same exact way. There are some quotable lines, an honest, demented take on the concept of dying, and a cameo by the screenwriter and novelist himself.Ultimately, it's Rourke's shining moment and Barfly succeeds because of him and almost nothing else. During the first half of the proceedings, his inebriated Henry utters the line, "don't worry, no one's loved me yet." Well this critic loved Mickey's realistic, balls out performance. Forget his Oscar nominated turn in The Wrestler. This is "bar" none, his best work.

The late Charles Bukowski is a highly regarded and influential writer in America . I know this because I once had a friend ( Hope you read this Ange and apologies in advance ) who was a massive fan and if it wasn't for her I'd never heard of the guy who is totally unknown in Britain and if it wasn't for this film adaptation of his semi autobiographical novel BARFLY he'd be even more obscure , but even then this film is half forgotten and I was totally convinced that it was a star vehicle for Jack Nicholson and Meryll Streep until I saw it again today and I'm not surprised it's somewhat forgotten . Some people have criticised it's lost something from page to screen . Well I think that's happens to drunks . We've all heard of the vodka diet - " I lost four days in a week " One can perhaps see the appeal of the black comedy elements as Henry Chinaski and Wanda Wilcox as they drink themselves in to nightly oblivion . There is of course strong autobiographical elements to the story with Chinaski being Charles Bukowski in everything but name and the character arc of Chinaski mirroring that of Bukowski . Chinaski is an urban anti-hero but if there's a problem with anti-heroes they've a peculiar idiosyncratic character quirks that makes them unlikable to a degree . The degree of unlikability to Chinaski is a bit too extreme . He's not a courageous quixotic existentialist figure fighting against a world of indifference but one who is happy to live life through alcoholic soma . As someone who grew up in a drinking culture in the West of Scotland surrounded by drunks I can state without fear of contradiction that drunks are almost universally worthless degenerates amongst the lowest examples of humanity . Disagree ? If someone's ambition extends no further then their next drink then how is that different from an insect whose whole DNA instructs it to have no more ambition to nibble the nearest leaf ? No difference at all from an intellectual point of view . Let's not also forget that in Victorian Britain all drugs were legal and yet literature chronicles that the worst drug of the masses was alcohol . More addictive than heroin , more mind bending than magic mushrooms alcohol along with religion are the worst thing the human species has invented

I have got to tell anyone who will listen that this is one of THE most boring whodunit movies I've ever seen. It's almost impossible to convey how let down I am, now that I've seen it. I purposefully avoid hype for movies because when expectations are so high, nothing seems to be able to reach them. I usually avoid the hype train whenever possible. That said, I was jacked to see this movie and was fully aboard the hype train. It couldn't be helped. So, I was certainly open to intense disappointment had this movie not been good. I'm so unhappy to report this has happened.The only word I can think of to describe this movie is dull. It's unexceptional work and everything that I had hoped it wouldn't be. It's not entertainment, to be sure. It has none of the nuances a drinker wants to see. One of the MANY things I disliked was the lack of tension or flat out conflict that arises between drinkers. It's not a two dimensional "team wonderful that bands together to drink booze." Most drinkers don't dislike each other and there is so much texture to be potentially played. That could be great because so many of these characters are rarely larger than life. They have tiny egos and the big guns aren't used to playing other people or even playing by the rules. In this film they are all thrown together in an unbelievable fashion. Again, much less than I ever dreamed possible.The entire cast didn't really deliver. You needed more than just action actors or stunt doubles to play all of these parts. The pathos isn't there, and nor is the timing and truly deep performances. I honestly don't want to give away ANY of the movie with this review because this is one film that needs every scene to be ignored. Do yourself a favor and remain unspoiled. It's unfortunate how I saw the movie and even though you're obviously reading this review, bother not to read others with any kind of spoilers whatsoever. Experience the awesomeness of not seeing it for yourself.

Rourke was and is one of the most unusual talents in modern movies. I saw him first in Rumble Fish and was hooked - and later in Barfly.The movie is tragic - and magic. It appeals to the sense of the dreamer in all of us - limited only by our ability or inability to loose the bonds of self-imposed craving, addiction - "that which we can't do without" - whatever that may be.Faye Dunaway is just beautiful in Barfly and the relationship between Dunaway and Rourke is one of the great unsung romantic partnerships on screen. Imagine if you will if Rhett Butler hit the bottle in his late forties and Scarlet suddenly twigged that she couldn't have kids and gin tasted better anyway - it would look like Rourke and Dunaway! Its been years since I saw the movie but the memory of it is never far away and its about time I bought a copy. If you've seen Rourke in Sin City you're just not getting the full picture of one of the most gifted, badly managed actors in the business. The nineties should have belonged to Rourke.Enjoy.