Sunday, May 26, 2019

Film: The Flamingo Kid (1984)

Blu-Ray

Review: This film stars a young Matt Dillon, who plays a recent high school graduate who gets a summer job at a Long Island Beach Club in the early 60's. While working as a cabana boy and playing gin rummy with his buddies, he falls under the influence of a rich club member who convinces him to skip college and go into sales at his car dealership. It is a good movie about a young man trying to distance himself from his working class family and neighborhood as he grows used to his new surroundings. Hector Elizondo is great as the father struggling with losing his son as well as Richard Crenna playing the smooth-talking mentor to Jeffrey.

Quotes:
"Where is he?"
"He's using the facility."
"I don't know this boy, Phil. He could be doing anything in there."
"What do you think he's doing? You think he's stealing soap?"

"Come on, let's go for a spin."
"In this?"
"No, you don't drive this on the road. It's got no windshield. You get bugs in your teeth."
"Oh, yeah. Sure."
"You ever hit a bug going 180 miles an hour? Believe me, it's not a thrill. For you or the bug."

"The salesman of this world make the money. Remember that."
"Yeah. Yeah. You're right."
"The reason I'm telling you this is I've been watching you. You know what I've seen so far spells?"
"What?"
"Salesman."

"There you are, Mrs. Brody. Straight vodka on the rocks in a wine glass. Is there anything else you'd like me to get you?"
"A gun."
"Well, I'll check the snack bar to see if they have a gun but you might have to settle for a club sandwich."
"Cute, Jeffrey, cute... This is my life. Being amused by a cabana boy."

"There only two important things in living - finding out what you do well and finding out what makes you happy. And if God is smiling on you, they're both the same thing."

"See, Arthur, boys grow up only once. Jeffrey works very hard. Tonight he wants to go to the track with his friends. Let him go."
"Stop it."
"Excuse me?"
"What are you telling me about my son? How can you tell me about my son? This is my son, not yours."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that he was going to go to college, my son, before he met you and got all these silly ideas about selling cars is what I'm saying."

"I think I'm gonna be sick."
"Well, don't do it on my shirt."
"It's your shirt that's making me sick."

"I told them."
"What are you talking about? You told them what?"
"Well, I had to. About you and Big Sid. Your scam. You can't go around screwing your friends, Mr. Brody."

"Summer's over. I'm just standing here watching another ship boxing its compass and venturing out to sea."
"It's nice to know that it can go home if it needs to."
"If it talks nice to the lighthouse keeper, he can always come home."
"Yeah, well, maybe if the lighthouse keeper didn't yell so much..."
"Well, the reason the lighthouse keeper yells... WHAT THE HELL ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? YOU COMING HOME OR WHAT?"
"YEAH, I'M COMING HOME, BUT THEN I'M GETTING MY OWN APARTMENT!"
"Good. All right. Then it's over?
"Yeah, it's over. Yeah, fine."

4 out of 5 Stars

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