This one's based on a novel by Clark Howard, so you know it had good source material. Matt Dillon plays the kid who comes to the big city (Chicago) to show 'em how the game of craps is played. Tommy Lee Jones is gonna show him how small-time he really is. If this reminds you of The Cincinnati Kid or The Hustler, that's probably intended, but it's more than a knock-off, and it throws a few curves along the way.Some nice performances, and I know some of you are thinking that I'm recommending this only because of Diane Lane's great work as a stripper with a heart that's hardly golden. I'm not, but that's one excellent reason to watch. There's also a great soundtrack, and this is another movie that I left only to go directly to a store to buy a cassette of the music.
The Big Town didn't do particularly well during its run in theaters, as far as I know, and it pretty much disappeared afterward, so it's another one that nobody likes buy me. So be warned before you rush out to find a DVD. If there even is one.
7 comments:
Bill...you might remember I liked this one a Whole Lot (Diane Lane with babyfat isn't quite yet the devastating Diane Lane of, say, A WALK ON THE MOON, but there's little to complain about in this cast). It's available on dvd, and it's still steamable in its entirety on the Sony challenger to Hulu, Crackle:
http://search.crackle.com/movies/the-big-town-ben-bolt.htm
However, you never did say how many repeated listens you got out of that soundtrack...
A movie I always meant to see and missed.
Todd, I do remember. And Patti, you should see it if only to find out why Todd and I like it.
Or, even, streamable. Really, I'll still say, a ridiculously talented cast.
I agree about the cast. Great performances all around, top to bottom.
I've been in lust with Dianne Lane since I saw her in THE COTTON CLUB.
This is one of my favorite "neo-noirs" (I know, purists... if it's in color it ain't noir- "neo" or otherwise) and based on one of my favorite Clark Howard novels THE ARM published in 1970 by Fawcett-Gold Medal.
As noted above... the dvd is still available.
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