Inside Moves (1980)

Inside Moves is so weird. Also, quite oddly, this is the second Richard Donner movie I've watched within a week. This film has been on my list to see for years because Diana Scarwid was nominated for an Oscar for her part in the movie and because this is David Morse's first film. I am finally watching it because HBOmax is kicking it off at the end of the month.

But this movie is strange. I think the reason it's weird is because the lead role is played by John Savage, who just doesn't do a very good job here. He's strange and doesn't seem to get the character. He just always feels like a total fuckin' weirdo. I don't really get it, honestly. The entire movie revolves around this strange performance, and for me it just never made sense.

The plot of the thing is a disability narrative – a group of disabled folks, mostly veterans, all hang out at this bar and become a kind of family. And then one of their own makes gets reconstructive surgery and joins the Golden State Warriors (like you do) but ignores his old family back at the bar. Leading us to the truly outrageous line: "I'm the only real cripple in this bar". Oh shut up.