Directed by:
Nancy SavocaCinematography:
Bobby BukowskiComposer:
Mason DaringCast:
River Phoenix, Lili Taylor, Anthony Clark, Mitchell Whitfield, Elizabeth Daily, Brendan Fraser, Jillian Armenante, Richard Panebianco, Ron Lynch (more)Plots(1)
An ineffably bittersweet portrait of youth in the 1960s, Nancy Savoca’s funny, sensitive tale of love and war etches two vividly alive characters: aspiring San Francisco folk singer Rose (Lili Taylor) and hotheaded, Vietnam-bound marine Eddie Birdlace (River Phoenix), who meet on the occasion of a cruelly misogynistic party where men compete to bring the most unattractive dates they can find. But what begins as a night to forget unexpectedly develops into something far more meaningful. Featuring music by folk legends Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Pete Seeger, Dogfight captures the miracle of human connection while gracefully subverting ideas surrounding machismo, patriotic duty, and the very meaning of America itself. (Criterion)
(more)Reviews (1)
They met for one evening. He’s set to ship out to Vietnam. He has no idea what awaits him. We do, and we are aware of the value of each second that they share. Dogfight is not a spectacular drama and it’s definitely not a comedy. It’s just a wonderfully ordinary romance. River Phoenix came close to the never achieved peak of his pretty-boy acting. In the company of the girl, he’s not so tough, as he radiates shyness and inexperience. An amusingly awkward boy. A few wordless shots suffice in the ending and it’s clear that we are watching a different person. He inspires respect. He already knows. Two years later, Phoenix died from an overdose. 75%
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