Review. I shall.

If you do not know who Charles Bukowski is, then I doubt reading further will be of much help.

This is the first of a series of film reviews that I shall be writing, comparing 2 similar movies. Next in line shall be 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' VS 'Where the Buffalo roam'.

I recently saw 2 movies, filmed based on Bukowski's writings.
'Barfly' and 'Factotum'.
With Mickey Rourke in the former and Matt Dillon in the latter playing the part of Henry Chinaski, Bukowski's thinly disguised alter ego.
Both the films share a similar plot, but they are nothing alike. The difference is reflected in their names no less.
A 'Barfly' is a person who spends a lot of time at a bar, hence the movie naturally deals more with the 'women' and 'wine' in his writing.
whereas, a 'Factotum' is a man who does a lot of jobs, so factotum deals more with the 'multiple jobs' and 'women' aspects of bukowski's work.

On the whole Factotum was a more serious movie, it was, in my opinion, better executed than Barfly. The Factotum version may be considered to be the thinking man's version of barfly, with more of an emphasis on Bukowski's philosophy, and a better overall 'feel' to the movie. It is set in an almost dystopian United States.

To sum it all up: I felt Henry Chinaski in 'Factotum' was much smarter than the Henry Chinaski of barfly who came off as nothing more than a bumbling drunk with good luck on his side, though I must say bukowski's silent cameo in barfly is a bonus :)

Watch both. They are worth it.
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Listening to 'Evenflow' - Pearl Jam