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Event
Dogfight
Set in San Francisco in 1963, this highly original and thought-provoking drama chronicles the brief relationship between a young Marine who is about to be shipped out to Vietnam and the rather plain aspiring folk singer who teaches him a few important lessons about life and the treatment of women. The lesson begins after the Marine (River Phoenix) and his buddies, wanting to celebrate their last night of freedom before sailing off to war, decide to rent a bar and hold a "dogfight," an odious contest in which the Marines compete to find the ugliest date. The winner will get all of the other soldier's money. Not pausing to think that the whole contest is cruel and degrading to the women, Eddie Birdlace sets off to find himself a pug-ugly girl. He comes up with waitress Rose Feeney (Lili Taylor) who is only plain. A sensitive girl who listens to folk music, writes poetry and herself aspires to sing, she isn't really that interested in Eddie, but out of pity agrees to be his date. Unfortunately, as they get to know each other, he begins to have a prick of conscience. Still they go to the party. When she learns the truth, she is angry and leaves. Now genuinely sorry, he takes off after her to try and make amends.
"A virtually unknown gem, and is one of the sweetest, most touching romances of the decade." FilmFile
"Savoca's second film also deals with sexual politics, centering on a type of woman seldom seen in American movies" - Emanual Levy
"By trying to be about so little, telling a simple fragile romantic story, Dogfight is about so much -- war and peace, love and romance, sex roles and cultural myths. What it understands is that to be really anti-war, rather than glitzy moralizing, a film should just be full of life, its characters so richly nuanced and detailed that they resonate with energy. The power here is in the performances, these people are so many people hidden inside, not just the people they are but those they are to become. " - Austin Chronicle
"Savoca manages this material with great heart and sensitivity, and Dogfight ends up being an emotional and true encounter between two misfits Rose and Birdlace as they navigate one strange night in San Francisco before Birdlace goes off to Vietnam. Dogfight goes far beyond just a Meet-Cute (or, really, a Meet-Ugly), and a romantic pas-de-deux between an unlikely pair. The film goes into another realm entirely, something transcendent and redemptive, reaching its climax in the totally wordless final scene." - Sheila O'Malley
"this is one of those perfect little movies that's dying to be put out by criterion. lily taylor is one of the most underrated actresses currently living" - Sam DiSalle, Mubi.com
"Lili Taylor manages to outact River Phoenix in this not-so simple romance." - Canned Lucidity
"To say that this film is a heartwarming coming of age tale is an understatement. Taylor and Phoenixs chemistry plays so well off of each other and their performances truly shine." Rachael Hauschild, Talk Film Society
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LocationSuns Cinema (View)
3107 Mount Pleasant Street NW
Washington, DC 20010
United States
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