Chance de Vencer

Mickey Rourke is a boxer who winds up in Asbury Park, New Jersey. He begins a relationship with Debra Feuer (Rourke real-life wife at the time) who owns a run-down amusement park, as well as a friendship with Christopher Walken, a bad lounge singer whose real job is robbery.

Miss Feuer's park is on its last legs, Walken plans a big job by robbing some Chasidic jewelers, and Rourke takes a big fight, not knowing he has a brain problem that can kill him if he's hit in the temple.

It's Michael Seresin's only movie as director. He took the opportunity to have DP Gale Tattersall shoot in the night-time rain. Visually a feast, excellent performances, this story about losers whose dreams are too big for them kept my attention all the way through.

In homeboy which Mick wrote, he plays a 2nd rate boxer who'll never run with the big boys because he is undisciplined and a alcoholic. Soon Mick befriends Wesley(Walken) a thief and falls in love with a beautiful carnival owner Ruby (Feuer). Homeboy is a dreary little gem with quirky performances from the leads and also shows that Mick has a soft side. A must for all Mick fans. Check it out!

Though there certainly are enough fight scenes to call this a boxing film, it is more of a slowly evolving study of some interesting, but loser-type characters. Do not expect "Rocky" and you just might enjoy "Homeboy". Eric Clapton's music adds immeasurably, and the acting is solid. Christopher Walken and Mickey Rourke carry the movie. The love interest, Debra Feuer, is quite unremarkable. I liked it, some may think it is too slow moving, but that is sometimes a price worth paying, for strong character development. There is a message here to believe in yourself, no matter what the odds against you. Recommended. - MERK

Rourke's Homeboy is accentuated with an excellent musical score. The story might appear "old fashioned" (i.e. 1940's US) to some, but watch the movie again and delve deeper - there is more than first meets the eye. Rourke's shy, awkward Johnny Walker is a memorable character. Walken fans shouldn't miss this one.

Johnny Walker (Mickey Rourke) is a struggling boxer at the end of his road. He gets a surprise win and is befriended by sleazy promoter Wesley Pendergrass (Christopher Walken). He falls for Ruby, the owner of a struggling seaside carnival.

Rourke is doing a forerunner to a much better film 20 years later. It's essentially the same character and the same performance. The girlfriend is rather bland and the actress isn't doing much. As for Walken, he deserves better. He needs more screen time and his character is doing weird things for no reason. I knew he was in trouble when he starts singing and the ending is doing another weird thing. He's wasted in this. Rourke would get his reward later but in this, he shows the potential.