Gotta give John Huston some credit: he knew how to keep up with the times. This movie is so aggressively '70s that you can practically smell the cigarettes and body odor.
Fat City is essentially the un-Rocky. It's bleak, it's unsentimental, and it never once makes you want to stand up and cheer (unless you're a big fan of alcoholism). Doesn't make for an especially lively or likeable movie, but it reeks of legitimacy. Every frame feels incredibly authentic and lived-in, and you really get the sense that these people are going to be stuck in their shitty situations forever, regardless of what they do.
I just wish the whole thing was a bit more focused. Despite the realism, it's all kinda soft and episodic for my liking, to the point where the material doesn't quite leave the impact that it probably should. As a domestic drama, I don't find any of these dynamics interesting or developed enough to care about (and it doesn't help that I think most of the characters are either bland or annoying), and, as a boxing movie, the bouts are almost laughably unconvincing. So a good chunk of it falls a bit flat for me.
Still, I can see why many people consider this to be among Huston's best work. The tone's unique, the point of view is distinct, and Stacy Keach gives a great performance. It's just too bad that there's a vaguely aimless vibe to the presentation that makes it difficult for me to latch onto anything.
Grade: B-