DOG FIGHT...a movie review

I was lying on the top bunk. My roommate was on the bottom. The lights were out and we were talking our way to sleep. Movies. We know so many movies. Popular movies. Obscure Movies. Independent movies. On this night, we were sort of quizzing each other.

"Iliak Kulik," I challenged. "Ice skater from the Olympics. He was in 'Center Stage,'" she responded.

And on it went.

"The mom from 'Family Ties.'" Without missing a beat, "Oh, you mean Meredith Baxter Birney, who starred in the 'Betty Broderick Story' on Lifetime?"

We were so on. It was like playing a really good game of tennis: lots of vollies.

But, then came the real test. "Okay, but what about that one movie with Lili Taylor [we LOVE Lili Taylor--you know, Lloyd Dobbler's best friend from 'Say Anything'] and River Phoenix where..." I cut her off to answer: DOG FIGHT.

It's the 1960s. Vietnam War time. River Phoenix plays Birdlace, a marine on liberty in San Francisco who's about to be shipped out. While waiting to meet up with his friends, he sits in a coffeeshop. He spots the waitress, Rose, played by Lili Taylor. She's facing a corner and cautiously playing the guitar. Rose is sort of chunky and sweet as she smiles at the marine. He knows that she's the right girl for him--the girl he should take to meet his buddies.

He persuades her to go out with him and even waits for her outside while she picks out an outfit. We see Rose in her bedroom trying on every piece of clothing she owns. Putting everything on. Seeing if it fits. No. Too tight. No. Too frumpy. Finally, she stuffs herself into a pouffy yellow number, teases up her hair and applies heavy make-up. She comes out to see Birdlace and his eyes widen. Perfect. She looks perfect for tonight. They walk over to the bar.

Lots of marines are already there with dates. Birdlace gets himself drunk at the bar and refuses to dance. Annoyed by this behavior and sick to her stomach, Rose runs to the bathroom where she meets one of the marines' dates. She tells Rose that she ain't in no normal dance hall. This, sweet girl, is a Dog Fight. And, Rose is one of the dogs. See, the marines rent out a place. They each bring as a date the ugliest girl they can find. And, whoever has the ugliest date wins. The woman who tells Rose is actually a hired prostitute (which goes against the Dog Fight rules). She takes her teeth out to gain points with the judges in exchange for a cut of the prize money. She tells Rose that she actually looks pretty decent when she's not, you know, winning the Dog Fight.

Rose is livid and hurt. Birdlace feels kind of bad and tells her that he didn't dance with her because that's when the real judging starts. Rose doesn't really buy any of it and she leaves. Rose somehow affects Birdlace the way no other dog has. He ends up going to her house and convinces her to have a proper date with him that night. She does. Rose changes into her everyday, normal clothes. Birdlace, The Marine, throughout the night, ends up falling for Rose, The Pacifist. And, Rose even beds him in her room before daybreak when he ships out.

This movie is good because it's not a big show-y plot. It's quite simple. And, in its simplicity comes the charm of the actors and the characters. Lili Taylor's Rose is a promoter of peace, yet she is ballsy and tough on Birdlace throughout. River Phoenix's Birdlace ends up being kind of charming once he convincingly comes to love Rose. We the audience get to go on this date and understand Rose and Birdlace for who they become by encountering each other. And, after accompanying them on their date, we may even be able to forget the Dog Fight. Well, forgive it, but don't forget it.