Filmed in Ontario, this is a lackluster drama about the seamy underworld of late-1950's dice shooters. Matt Dillon stars as an almost supernaturally gifted "Arm" who gets sent to the Big Town of Chicago to work for bankrollers Lee Grant and Bruce Dern. Dillon meets a friendly mentor figure (Tom Skerritt) as well as a sinister strip club owner (Tommy Lee Jones), and is also torn between good-girl single mom Suzy Amis and bad-girl fan dancer Diane Lane.
There's a lot of nice period detail, and a terrific soundtrack of 50's rock and roll songs, but there just isn't much drama generated by the tired story. Dillon and Lane were both trying to break away from their teen idol images and into more adult roles, but they both give weak performances. Jones doesn't have much to do but look surly, but Dern and Skerritt are both good.
There's a lot of nice period detail, and a terrific soundtrack of 50's rock and roll songs, but there just isn't much drama generated by the tired story. Dillon and Lane were both trying to break away from their teen idol images and into more adult roles, but they both give weak performances. Jones doesn't have much to do but look surly, but Dern and Skerritt are both good.