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Matt Dillon stars in this Francis Ford Coppola film about a high school hooligan who’s infamous older brother (Mickey Rourke) comes back to town to try and change his bleak outlook on life. Rumble Fish is based on a novel by The Outsiders author, S.E. Hinton. It’s a less compelling story and lacks a strong narrative through-line. Dillon does a fine job carrying the meandering film, as does young Diane Lane in her supporting role. Rourke is aloof and mysterious as the older brother, and Nicolas Cage makes his screen debut as Dillon’s snarky douchebag of a friend. Coppola shot the film in black & white with a few flashy moments of color. He makes other stylistic choices that call attention to themselves, from a highly percussive score to surrealistic use of shadows and blatantly symbolic imagery. Pretentiousness aside, the cinematography is gorgeous and Stewart Copeland’s score is nothing if not bold. You’ll see the ending coming a mile away, but Rumble Fish is worth seeing for Matt Dillon and the exquisite camera framing. With Dennis Hopper, Laurence Fishburne, and Tom Waits.