The Last Days of Frankie the Fly (1996)

That was an excellent one.

good back-story, and good acting

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I rented this after finding out that it was written by Dayton Callie, who plays Charlie Utter, my favorite character in David Milch's superb HBO series Deadwood. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I had never heard of the film...and after the first 10 minutes I thought I was going to hate it. It started out rather slowly and the dialog seemed a little stiff. However, I stuck with it and was glad I did! The story is really kind of sweet and well-written.Dennis Hopper plays bullied mob flunky, Frankie, who is nicknamed "The Fly" because, as hit-man Vic (played by Dayton Callie) teases, "Flys eat sh*t!" And it appears likely that Frankie would do just that if told to do so by local wise-guy boss Sal (Madsen) -- Sal is a sadistic madman who keep his enemies' severed testicles in mason jars. Frankie seems to be almost happy with his sheepish role, until he falls for a porn actress and reformed junkie, Margaret (Darryl Hannah) and his life changes forever.So, rent this sweet and quirky film and see for yourself what happens as Frankie seeks to change his "fly" image for the girl he loves.

***** I have to agree with Mr pink that the only enthusiastic performance was Kiefer Sutherlands, comic and tragic all in one big lovable and hate able bundle. An exceptional performance of an eccentric director, the frustration and comedy seems just too real at some points. Masden almost lived up to the nastiness he showed in Reservoir Dogs, he was portrayed as being quite evil just not evil enough. The Script was good but could have been much better.And I liked the idea of the dark side of Hollywood but apart from those few things, this film overall was an 'OK'... i guess.WATCH IT JUST FOR KIEFER!

Casually violent "crime comedy" about a verbally abused small-time "errand man" who decides he can't take it anymore, and plots an elaborate revenge against his boss, a sadistic gangster. Michael Madsen does what he does best (looking cool and being baaaaad) and Kiefer Sutherland is amusing as a desperate porn director, but Dennis Hopper is fatally miscast as the criminal with a heart of gold: hey, casting director, Hopper never begs for respect - he demands it, and makes life miserable for anyone who doesn't play along. The film is not without its moments, but the story (low-lifes looking to "get out" and "start over") is one big cliche from start to finish. (**)

Daryl Hannah has always been a terrible actress, but this is her best role, maybe because she should have chosen to be a porn star instead of a legit star. This is a fun movie, full of campy, over the top performances. Dennis Hopper and Michael Masden are great and Kiefer Sutherland is a foul-mouthed hoot. A guilty pleasure.