Atlantic City (1980)

Atlantic City Movie Double-Feature! Movie #2

Synopsis: Social-climbing ingénue and delusional old fart find happiness together by…um…selling a fortune in cocaine?!?

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “The people and the story are magnetic; the background is the city of dreams that almost came true. Atlantic City is revitalized as a resort when gambling is legalized. But the new industry also brings unsettling changes. For Lou (Burt Lancaster), 40 years a bodyguard-boyfriend to aging beauty queen Grace (Kate Reid), his numbers running sideline escalates to mob involvement. A drug-related slaying leaves him with a small fortune, a new car and a new girl, Sally (Susan Sarandon), who is the perfect completion of his fantasy.”

What Did I Learn?: If you stumble across a nice, big bag of uncut cocaine in Philadelphia, DON’T attempt to sell it in Atlantic City.

You Might Like This Movie If: You can’t get enough of Robert Goulet’s cameo appearances.

Really?: I realize Lou is a bit nostalgic, and delusional about his past importance but come on – would anyone honestly claim the Atlantic Ocean was more impressive a few decades earlier? 2) I had a bit of trouble believing Sally would sleep with Lou, not once but twice. It’s possible, given the circumstances, but highly unlikely. 3) Robert Goulet’s cameo appearance as himself is pretty cool, but it feels a wee bit tacked-on. 4) If a chick informs you that her skuzzy boyfriend is really a great guy because he’s been reincarnated a bunch of times, and she doesn’t use seatbelts because she doesn’t believe in gravity, there’s a pretty good chance she’s a flake. 5) Ok, you’ve just iced a couple of Philly hoods. Is it a good idea to steal their car and take a long joy-ride?

Rating: Atlantic City is a gritty portrayal of small-time hoods in a city that had clearly seen better days (Atlantic City was on the cusp of getting re-developed as this movie was being made, and we even get to see a couple of old hotels getting pulled). For a movie that deals in gangsters and drug rip-offs, Atlantic City is strangely character-driven, and Burt Lancaster is fantastic as Lou. Since the film was partly-filmed in Montreal, look for a few Canucks, including Louis “Seeing Things” Del Grande. Highly recommended. 10/10 stars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080388/