Unable to remember if he is responsible for a murder, an alcoholic writer recalls bits and pieces of the previous few days while conversing with his cynical father in this unusual film written and directed by Norman Mailer, based on his novel of the same name. With lead actor Ryan O'Neal narrating the film retrospectively, the unsolved murder theme and tons of shady characters, 'Tough Guys Don't Dance' has often been cited as a neo-noir but it is actually closer to a noir spoof with some comedic moments so bizarre that it is hard to tell if the humour was intentional or not. Whatever the case, the film benefits from memorably eccentric supporting characters and the capable likes of Penn Jillette and Wings Hauser try to make the most of the material, though there remains room to question whether the film would have been better played straight without the comedy angle. The central dynamic is certainly quite interesting with O'Neal torn internally as he solves the mystery, unsure of whether he is responsible and if he is, whether he truly wants to find out. The final product though is pretty messy and it is easy to see why the film received several Razzie nominations in its day.
Review of Tough Guys Don't Dance
