Every movie star must think about the time when his or her career may take a downturn and consequent dip into straight-to-video territory or character roles. However, some of those stars don't take it lightly when it happens to them. One of such examples is Mickey Rourke, one of the most talented lead actors in 1980s, whose career took a deep dive in 1990s. Obviously dissatisfied with the way tabloids and other media described his road to oblivion, he took the lead role in F.T.W., 1994 drama by Michael Karbelnikoff, film that he could have been seen as semi-autobiographical.
In this film Rourke plays Frank T. Wells, rodeo rider who served prison sentence for the manslaughter. After the release Wells is determined to turn another page in his life and return to his old career. However, on the way he meets Scarlett Stuart (played by Lori Singer), girl who works as car mechanic. Wells is attracted to her because she has his initials F.T.W. tattooed on her arm. She is also attracted to him and two of them begin the relationship. However, Wells is unaware that Scarlett is the only surviving member of bank robbing gang. When he finds that out, he would stand by his woman, even if it means new trouble with the law.
"F.T.W." from the title stands for "F**k the World", Rourke's answer to all those who took great pleasure in describing him as Has Been. Unfortunately, this uncompromisingly individualistic message was not worthy of the low-budget exploitation film masquerading as "socially conscious" story about losers in rural America. Rourke and Singer play their characters very well, though, and it is quite a surprise to see late Brion James in the role of sympathetic lawman. However, director Karbelnikoff didn't notice plenty of cliches in Eddie Cook's and Mari Kornhauser's script, His directing style, heavily influenced by MTV (visible in his previous effort, Mobsters), seems inappropriate for what was supposed to be grim, realistic story, and the ending seems even more predictable and pathetic. F.T.W. is for some unexplained reason (probably something to do with controversial title) absents from many video guides, but those who don't watch this film because of it won't miss much.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on October 28th 2000)
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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/26937-f-t-w?language=en-US Critic: AA
