Watch Fingers

Fingers is a 1978 American crime drama film directed by James Toback and starring Harvey Keitel, Tisa Farrow, and Jim Brown. The film follows the life of Jimmy Fingers, a young man who works as a debt collector for his father's loan shark business but dreams of becoming a concert pianist. The film starts with a glimpse of Jimmy's family life, where his father Ben operates a small-time loan shark business. While his father expects him to be a part of the business, Jimmy wants to become a pianist. Jimmy's father, however, sees his ambition as a waste of time and talent, and continuously tries to force him to take up the family business. To further complicate his life, Jimmy gets involved with a woman named Carol as well as her rich and abusive husband Riccamonza.

Most of the film revolves around Jimmy's double life - his day job as a ruthless enforcer who beats people up for his father's business and his night job as a pianist at underground clubs. Along with indulging in his passion for music, he also tries to get into the good books of a prominent concert pianist named Tom who he hopes can help him further his career as a musician.

The film is a character study of Jimmy Fingers, a man who is stuck between his love for music and his obligation to his father's criminal empire. Jimmy is portrayed as a complex character struggling with his internal conflict - on the one hand, he wants to please his father and prove himself in the world of organized crime, while on the other hand, he wants to be true to his passion for music.

Harvey Keitel's exceptional acting skills bring this character to life, portraying Jimmy Fingers as someone who is tough on the outside but incredibly vulnerable on the inside. He juggles between his two worlds in a way that showcases the paradox that being a "true artist" entails.

The cinematography, done by Michael Chapman, is equally exceptional. It grittily captures the world that Jimmy inhabits, depicting the grimy streets of New York City and the smoky nightclubs with a moody and atmospheric feel. This, in turn, helps to establish the perfect tone for the movie and adds to the overall ambiance of the film.

The movie also features Tisa Farrow as Carol, Jimmy's love interest, and Jim Brown as Dreems, one of Jimmy's colleagues in the loan shark business. Their performances are amazing, with Tisa Farrow portraying Carol as a woman trapped in a loveless marriage and Brown playing Dreems as a tough but sympathetic character.

Ultimately, Fingers is a compelling film about the high price of following one's dreams, with Jimmy's desire to play the piano conflicting with a life of crime. The movie puts the viewer in an ethical dilemma, asking how far one should go to follow their own passions despite family obligations, societal norms, or other restraints.

In conclusion, Fingers is an intense and poignant film that deals with themes of ambition, betrayal, family, and artistic passion. Its powerful visuals and brilliant performances by the cast make this film a real treat for cinema lovers who enjoy character-driven dramas.

Fingers is a 1978 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8.