BARFLY

Directed by Barbet Schroeder, 1987.

Date: Sep 2nd, 2005. Format: Video. Surrounding: Helsinki.

I had waited for a long time to see this Bukowski's self portrait, and now I think, it was the right choice to do so. As we watched this with a couple of friends after waking up in the morning from the same apartment and sharing the "day after" feeling, the mood was just perfect. Among our group, I had an honour to be the the only first-timer to see this alcohol-driving classic. Actually what happened was that we all started drinking again while watching it and then went to a local bar called Pub Pete to spend the afternoon (...for me it led to the evening too, and then by tram to some place I still don't know). Mickey Rourke is in a very good shape (I guess this "was" the role of his lifetime), but Faye Dunaway's charmingly bored woman is still the most interesting character in her mysterious humbleness. A real treat to watch during heavy drinking -occasions. ****½