Tiger Warsaw

After a successful role in the hit film DIRTY DANCING, Patrick Swayze was thought to be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, but when he took the lead role in TIGER WARSAW, it proved disasterous. This predictable tale of a former addict who tries to patch things up with his family does little to entertain anyone. The movie fails to make sense at times and Swayze's hunk appeal isn't there. A bit better than the dreary ROAD HOUSE, but still far from successful.

1 out of 5.

A lot of people didn't enjoy this, but I did. It shows a real life situation that can & does happen in any Family. Hardly any sex, swearing, drug takihg & no violence. Give it a go & have a watch if you haven't seen it. Patrick has done a lot better but when he shows his sensitive side I think he is a much better actor.

This was a surprising role for Patrick Swayze after the run away success of Dirty Dancing, but perhaps he wanted to secure himself as a character actor rather than simply a dancing, smouldering romantic lead. And this he does. Whilst this film doesn't garner much attention, it is nevertheless a piece of drama of high calibre. Overall, it is uplifting and a story of triumph and love, but it gets there via the medium of a rather dreary, grey film full of clever direction that takes advantage of the mill-town backwater working class experience and turns it into something stylised and arty. The scene cuts, if you watch them, the use of silence, the use of bells or the train whistle, Tiger's frustration and mounting anger set against the rolling stock of the train going past... it's actually rather beautiful. The stand out performances are most definitely Swayze and Barbara Williams (Kiki) and you can see her powerful stage presence clearly - I can imagine she was a wonderful Lady MacBeth. Piper Laurie I thought was too contrived, her face immobile (all the female characters except Kiki had FAR too much make up) but emotive and honest; you were very much sympathetic to her but much of the rest of the acting was mediocre with exception of Lee Richardson, the father, and there were some remarkably tender scenes between the two parents. The child actors - Kiki's children - were terrible. Swayze showed a range and depth demonstrating how good he was, especially with the backdrop of very little by way of excitement or colour; it really was him, the camera and little else except raw emotion a lot of the time. He carried the film. It was definitely an 80s film and it looks old and weary, brought to life by Swayze in his prime, and he looked amazing.

This film has at it's heart a family crisis and the longterm effects, guilt, regret, fear, heartache, self-loathing and misunderstanding that can poison a family, and a community, and how reconciliation can be achieved and the painful process it can be. It is clear what the crux of the crisis was, it is shown through increasingly revealing flashbacks and through dialogue, and with the spectre of drug and alcohol abuse it is plausible and relatable. I had not seen this film for a long time, and forgotten how lovely it is, but whilst I enjoy it, I am well aware that it's not a great film.

Director Chaudhri's foreign birth comes through loud and clear in this mess of a movie. Swayze's Tiger Warsaw has supposedly done something so terrible it has turned his entire family against him, but it's never made clear exactly what this horrible deed was. Peeping Tom, maybe? When he meets up with an old hometown buddy their reaction to each other can only be described as homosexual, but nothing further in that direction develops. There is also another odd and brief scene in a bar where he is accosted by another old classmate who is now a cross-dresser. I can only assume this kind of stuff has some meaning in India or Pakistan, but it makes no sense in an American movie. Which is obviously what the studio thought since they premiered it outside of the USA. The only good things about the movie are the cool motorcycle jacket Swayze wears throughout, and the bitchin' '68 black Road Runner he drives.

It's hard to honestly express the virtues of a film that is generally regarded as sub-par without going too far in the other direction. It's not that "Tiger Warsaw" is a complete success, indeed, there are many things that just don't quite work. Patrick Swayze, though his top billing is certainly the only reason this film has reached its relatively small audience, never quite fills out his character believably. That, and the somewhat low key feeling of the overall production, serves to play against the very same things that most potential viewers are looking for.

But there are very many good points. This is an exceptionally beautiful film to look at. Robert Draper's cinematography is cold, aching, with a powerful understanding of light. These scenes feel like real life of the kind we all know, not some imitation or expression of style. The director, Amin Q. Chaudhri (who made the similarly quiet drama "An Unremarkable Life" the following year), pulls back from his actors in the best possible way, observing their simple actions rather than trying to be over-dramatic. The story is well-realized in execution, but not entirely well-written. Roy London has a certain understanding of dialogue and character that is evident, but his plotting leaves something to be desired. There are avenues taken that seem unlikely, and others left untouched that could have been effectively explored.

But this is a real film. There's no over-acting, no showing off. There's a lot of humanity, and some heartbreaking performances. Piper Laurie is incredibly human, fully alive in her role. She might be remembered for more extreme roles like in "Carrie", but it's films like "Rising Son" and this production that show her depth.

I recommend this for its visual beauty, and its quiet understanding.