John Savage tries to kill himself and fails. Released from the hospital, but still askew from his injuries, he begins to hang out at a downtown bar where the other barflies are badly handicapped: David Morse (in his movie debut), a basketball player with blown knees, Harold Russell, who has no hands, blind Bert Remsen, and others. They form a community.
It's a very small picture by Richard Donner, a director best known for action movies, and concentrates on performances and the slow evolution of the characters' characters and relationships. You may argue that under the flash-bang and quips of movies like LETHAL WEAPON, the same thing occurs, and it's a reasonable position. However, does it work when the high point is Oscar-nominated Diana Scarwid (the only performer ever nominated for a role directed by Donner) confessing her love for Savage, or Savage's telling-off Morse, instead of some big, effects-laden scene? Again, this is a matter of taste, but Donner's handling seems competent to me, even if we have to give him good-will points for tackling a cast playing handicapped people.
I'd say the movie is worthwhile, but not actually great, carried by a good script by Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin, and committed, skilled performers.
It's a very small picture by Richard Donner, a director best known for action movies, and concentrates on performances and the slow evolution of the characters' characters and relationships. You may argue that under the flash-bang and quips of movies like LETHAL WEAPON, the same thing occurs, and it's a reasonable position. However, does it work when the high point is Oscar-nominated Diana Scarwid (the only performer ever nominated for a role directed by Donner) confessing her love for Savage, or Savage's telling-off Morse, instead of some big, effects-laden scene? Again, this is a matter of taste, but Donner's handling seems competent to me, even if we have to give him good-will points for tackling a cast playing handicapped people.
I'd say the movie is worthwhile, but not actually great, carried by a good script by Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin, and committed, skilled performers.