Francis Ford Coppola made two separate films based on the novels of S. E. Hinton, The Outsiders and Rumble Fish. While both have an impressive visual style, and an amazing cast of then up and comers, Rumble Fish is the film I go back to. For years I thought this film was just a movie that my dad and I really liked and nobody else remembered. So I was super happy to see it get the Criterion Collection treatment. Mickey Rourke is an actor I have long been a fan of, and this is one of his finest performances.

The title manages to perfectly express and synthesize the plot and the meaning of the film. The story unfolds around the figure of Rusty James (Dillon) who metaphorically and literally struggles to be accepted as a leader among the boys in Tulsa (Oklahoma) that fight is countered by the figure of the idyllic brother Motorcycle boy (Rourke) of the young, undisputed boss At the time of the repentant youth bands, returned after a period in California now grown and disillusioned by the dynamics of the small center of the province.During the film there is a symbolic passage of deliveries between the older brother and the smallest who will not be without consequences. They are the rumble fishes that fight in the absence of living space as a fish in front of a mirror. This image, which is presented to us in the fish shop scene, serves to frame Rumble James's rivalry against his brother. The film is stylistically very peculiarly shot in a fake black and white (only 3 significant shots are in color) with shadows and a photograph with strong references to expressionist cinema (blades of light and shadows stretching), The camera is often at the level of the ground by framing the characters from below or taking them to the top, but keeping the depth of field that allows us to keep the attention that happens in the background. The story is told through a multiplication of narrative points: the main one is that of Motorcycle Boy that is color-blind (in fact the film is in black and white), then there is Steve (Spano) who writes everything that happens and the Rusty James point of view through his process of growth and existential harm. The gang- fighting scenes are almost danced, a clear tribute to West Side Story movie. Another feature that affects the eye is the constant presence of moving clouds (representing the timelessness) of the story or the smog, the puff puffs or the fog in almost every scene of the film. All this is marked and rippled by the stunning soundtrack of Stewart Copeland (police drummer) that accentuates the suspense with timid, stingy, stingy whispers, whispers in the background. Inside the soundtrack we also find the beautiful "Don't box me in" (non-casual title) sang by Stan Ridgway. Although the little success at the time of his release has subsequently become a cult film thanks to the cast, which includes, in addition to Dennis Hopper and Tom Waits, a host of young actors who will make Hollywood's fortune from Matt Dillon to Mickey Rourke Vincent Spano, Nicholas Cage and Diane Lane as well as a very young Sofia Coppola.

This film begins interestingly enough and sets out the foundation for what could have potentially been a good film, but the further the film progressed the less interested I became in what happened....I think the biggest problem with this film is that it doesn't really explore what I expected to be the central theme to the film - which is the relationship between Rusty James (Matt Dillon) and his brother The Motorcycle boy (Mickey Rourke). The relationship between the two brothers wasn't developed particularly well; why was The Motorcycle boy such a hero before he went? What went on before he left? The film sets him up as a hero, but doesn't really explain why or how he ended up being so highly regarded. Rusty's character is a little bit easier to understand - he's an impressionable young man who wants to be just like his big brother, perhaps carry on his legacy, but again why? What was he fighting for? Nothing is ever really explained. Added to all of this we have a police officer that seems to have it in for the Motorcycle boy for reasons that will be only known to scriptwriters.All of the above is bad enough, but what really annoyed me about this film is how boring it was, apart from the big fight early on nothing really happens. We seem to be just treated to a lot of dialogue that's either boring or downright annoying - seriously how many times was the word 'Man' used in the script? Even though it's only 90 minutes long I really struggled to make it to the end.Let's look at the acting; Mickey Rourke seems to sleep walk through this film, looked bored and looked like he wanted to be somewhere else. Dillon tried his best, but just comes off as annoying. Cage was wooden and Penn was given nothing to do. Hopper probably fared the best, but his character was so thinly written that no-one will care anyway.At one point Rusty has an 'out of body' experience which added nothing to the film other than an increased running time. The film also seemed to meander and wander without really making any sort of a point. Just when you think it can't get any worse the film ends in possibly one of the most stupid of ways; The Motorcycle boy steals some fish from a pet store and intends to set them free. However, when the police catch up with him he's shot and killed when he tries to run off. Hang on, why would they shoot and kill him? Because he's armed with some fish? Then his kid brother takes hold of the fish and places them in the river and then the police let him go?? All of this was stupid beyond words.To sum it up, it was dreadful and a complete waste of 90 minutes of my life!

There are definite echoes of East Of Eden here, with Matt Dillon playing the insecure, brooding, rebellious James Dean role in the shadow of his brother, with a second parallel being the mysterious back story behind the mother shared by both films. This is actually better in my opinion. More stylish, with unquestionably superior photography and a fantastically distinct art direction which makes it stand out immediately, all monochrome in black and white, with smoky backdrops and a film noir style that perfectly brings to life the 50s youth gang setting. It's also a much more natural film, with the dialogue flowing and not stylized in the least. There are some brilliant lines that fit seamlessly into the normal young conversation, and feel like things people would say in real life. There is a sense of grit and realism alongside the panache, and it strikes the perfect balance in that respect.The two lead actors are magnetic in their roles, and beautifully framed by Coppola. Matt Dillon smoulders in a white vest throughout as Rusty James, brilliantly portraying a compelling juxtaposition between his brash, arrogant teenage exterior and the self destructive tendencies that mask the pain he feels inside from a troubled life. Mickey Rourke as his brother is stiller, more measured, more world weary, and it is a wonderful turn in a career full of high points; his charismatic is instant, and the two actors have a undeniable rapport on screen. Diane Lane is solid in the supporting role and very believable.It isn't quite a perfect film. The constant repetition of Rusty James is beyond annoying, and a real flaw in the script. His full name is said probably over a hundred times in a movie that lasts only ninety minutes – it's clearly deliberate, but it's hard to see why. Other than that the plot might be a bit meandering and aimless for some, although personally I prefer character driven films such as this, which focus on the relationships between the protagonists rather than hurtling through a storyline. The ending is also unsatisfying, quite sudden and nobody really gets what they deserve.Perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay this film is that it is interesting and meaningful but at the same time a pleasure to watch. It succeeds in transporting you back to that time, and you can become totally lost in the movie and its setting. It's also very cool, very stylish and visually flawless. Highly recommended.