Johnny Walker is a cowboy and a boxer. He is very shy and a bit of a fool. He is in love with Ruby, but he cannot tell her. He is also a bit old to keep on boxing, but its the only thing he does well.
Acting
Rourke at his most vulnerably broken; Walken somehow more unhinged than usual
Cinematography
Seresin's eye turns Atlantic City into neon-drenched purgatory
Writing
Dialogue so sparse it feels like eavesdropping on strangers
Director
Michael Seresin
Mickey Rourke
Johnny Walker
Christopher Walken
Wesley Pendergass
Jon Polito
Moe Fingers
Debra Feuer
Ruby
Antony Alda
Ray
Thomas Quinn
Lou
Kevin Conway
Grazziano
Rubén Blades
Doctor
Willy DeVille
Moe's bodyguard
Michael Buffer
Ring Announcer
Joseph Ragno
Cotten's Trainer
Stephen Baldwin
Luna Park Drunk
Cordelia González
Cuban Boxer's Wife
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Rourke was a professional boxer before filming and did most of his own ring work, including taking real punches. The brain damage you see on screen? Method acting to a dangerous degree.
This film essentially killed Rourke's leading-man career for fifteen years—too weird, too sad, too genuinely painful to watch. Only now do we recognize it as maybe his most honest performance.
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