Fat City
1972 · Movie · PG · 97 min · ★ 7.1 · 94% critics
A down-and-out veteran boxer and a young newcomer both chase boxing hopes, but their lives and fortunes pull in opposite directions. As their careers intersect, the film takes an unsentimental look at ambition, setbacks, and tough choices in a grim, everyday world.
Based on Fat City
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Details
- Years
- 1972
- Release date
- 1972-07-26
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Critic score
- 94/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (181 votes)
About
You’ll likely like Fat City if you enjoy bleak, grounded character dramas within the boxing world; Not for you if you want a feel-good underdog sports story or lots of uplifting momentum, as the tone here is closer to The Dead or Death of a Salesman than something triumphant.
Pros: gritty realism; strong performances; Boxing drama | Cons: oppressively grim; meandering pace; little changes
Themes
- california
- transporter
- sports
- boxer
- alcoholism
- over-the-hill fighter
- neo-noir
- boxing
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Supporting Actress · 1973 · nominated
Cast & crew
Stacy Keach
as Tully
Jeff Bridges
as Ernie
Susan Tyrrell
as Oma
Candy Clark
as Faye
Nicholas Colasanto
as Ruben
- AA
Art Aragon
as Babe
- CC
Curtis Cokes
as Earl
- SR
Sixto Rodriguez
as Lucero
Billy Walker
as Wes
- WM
Wayne Mahan
as Buford
Directed by John Huston