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Rumble Fish

Play trailer Poster for Rumble Fish R Released Oct 21, 1983 1h 34m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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77% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Disaffected and restless, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is spoiling for a fight. Abandoned by his mother and living with his alcoholic father (Dennis Hopper), he hangs out with his girlfriend, Patty (Diane Lane), and his similarly aimless friends Midget (Larry Fishburne), Smokey (Nicolas Cage) and B.J. Jackson (Christopher Penn). When his brother, the Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), returns to town, Rusty hopes to gain guidance and wisdom from someone most people think is crazy.
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Rumble Fish

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Critics Consensus

Rumble Fish frustrates even as it intrigues, but director Francis Ford Coppola's strong visual style helps compensate for a certain narrative stasis.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker A myth-infused coming-of-age story that's directed with a grandly imaginative visual repertoire to match. Jan 4, 2021 Full Review Richard Corliss TIME Magazine If Rumble Fish fails as a traditional movie about real people, it is beguiling as an exercise in hallucinatory style. Dec 11, 2007 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Overwrought and overthought. Dec 11, 2007 Full Review Alan Jones Radio Times The drama is extremely mannered and the symbolism a mite overdone, but it's a visually startling knockout, brilliantly filmed in moody black and white with some dashes of colour. Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2025 Full Review Megan Fisher Loud and Clear Reviews It’s a movie that is both mythical and intimate, grounded and stylized, external and interior. Every piece of Rumble Fish is consumed by the emotions of the characters, by the tragedy of their lives and the time that is passing. Jan 11, 2025 Full Review Sean Burns Crooked Marquee The coolest movie Coppola ever made. Sep 26, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mason M Rumble Fish could easily be labeled as cryptic or pretentious, but an experienced director like Francis Ford Coppola brings this film plenty of life. This picture was one of Coppola's most beautiful efforts visually, full of stunning smoke filled black and white imagery that brings out both the beautiful and the ugly in the everyday world. This film was also very interesting emotionally, making a melancholic atmosphere that could've been dry but was strangely emotional. And Matt Dillon gives a great performance as the main character who never exactly gets what's really going on. My only complaint about this film was that Stewart Copeland's score often sets the wrong tone for this dark and emotional film. But Coppola overall brings an emotional look on the confusion of being a teenager. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/19/25 Full Review Leprechaun K Coppola's experimental movie is the avant-garde version of The Outsiders. Stars a young Rourke that steals every scene. The score was also an interesting choice. A good effort by Coppola to give the audience something different and new. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/06/25 Full Review Audience Member Ya just gotta know what you’re getting into! Yes, it is an homage to French New Wave cinema - it watches like a sequel to “Breathless”. SE Hinton’s gritty YA novels were the male dirty white trash answer to Judy Blume, and they resonated deeply with me and my generation. This is a harder R than I remember, although a number of 80s films from my youth are that way. Younger versions of Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Penn, Nicolas Cage are incredible to watch decades later. If you thought Mickey Rourke was a cool cat in “Diner”, wait until you rewatch this - you’ll remember what the fuss was all about. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/26/25 Full Review K W Brilliant film, cast, and screenplay Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/26/25 Full Review Yash B While I am fairly sure I read "Rumble Fish" when I was a lot younger, I have no recollection of the novel. I do however have a good recollection of "The Outsiders" which has always been a movie adaptation I really liked and one that I rewatched recently. I think this movie has some similar themes about violence and self-damaging behavior, but I feel it is more focused on a singular character and his struggle, which makes it feel more personal. I don't think it is always the most entertaining movie, as it can be intentionally pretty bleak, but it is a fascinating watch, that leaves an emotional punch by the end of it. Francis Ford Coppola adapting S.E. Hinton's most famous novels in the 80s is an era I actually really appreciate and think it is cool to see how the filmmaker has done so many different things in his career. Overall, this is a solid movie with complex ideas and good performances that are put together in a stylish way. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/01/24 Full Review Isa B Rumble Fish is an awesome film! Mickey Rourke is great as the Motorcycle Boy. Matt Dillon and Dennis Hopper are great as well. I love the original score. Rumble Fish is artsy, well made, well directed and is a pleasurable viewing experience. I definitely recommend. 89/100 Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Rumble Fish

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Movie Info

Synopsis Disaffected and restless, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is spoiling for a fight. Abandoned by his mother and living with his alcoholic father (Dennis Hopper), he hangs out with his girlfriend, Patty (Diane Lane), and his similarly aimless friends Midget (Larry Fishburne), Smokey (Nicolas Cage) and B.J. Jackson (Christopher Penn). When his brother, the Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), returns to town, Rusty hopes to gain guidance and wisdom from someone most people think is crazy.
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Producer
Fred Roos, Doug Claybourne
Screenwriter
S.E. Hinton, Francis Ford Coppola
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Zoetrope Studios
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 21, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 11, 2015
Runtime
1h 34m
Sound Mix
Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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