Review of Fingers (1978) by Alec N — 09 Sep 2008
Fingers is a spiritual head-fuck! It provides necessary feedback on the duel citizenship between flesh and inner turmoil. Keitel is better in Bad Lieutenant, but he's so immersed as Jimmy Fingers, a man torn between family and artistic integrity.
Slowly, bit by bit, he's consumed with the ills of society and his own shortcomings, and it's so fucking tragic! Toback, directing his first script after he sold the superb rights to The Gambler (with James Caan) is as much aloof as he is there.
This is what gives the film it's raw, indie feel. It's not a testament of technical adherence, but the journey of Keitel's character, and especially his performance, is one of compliance to the cause.
Fingers is probably better now than it was then, and is so good it has been remade by the French. De battre mon coeur s'est arréte' (The Beat My Heart Skipped (2005)). Nothing short of superb!
This review of Fingers (1978) was written by Alec N on 09 Sep 2008.
Fingers has generally received positive reviews.
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