Character: Nicky

We open on Sean Penn (Henry) walking on train tracks. two young boys flatten their pennies under a passing train. he smokes and heads home to a piano lesson. I’m a fool for piano. He starts rockin out on it and the piano teacher leaves while his mom yells at him. THE CARS ARE GORGEOUS! Cue trumpets and I’m in love with these songs. This whole movie takes place before Henry ships off to the war. World War II to be precise.

He stumbles upon a chick practicing ballet in a field or something. Weird. He works at a bowling alley. His mom gave him shit for working there and told him to come home with all of his fingers. Here we meet my Nic. Crispin Glover is in this too. He’s a douchebag.

He is dating a chick named Sally and her dad doesn’t like him cause he thinks Nic is fooling around with her. He’s right. Nic is a little bit cleaner cut in this one, still rockin a wife beater. He wants to go on a double date and Henry is not helping. Nic asks a waitress named Annie to go out with Henry. She goes and leaves after they get dropped off so Nic can fool around with Sally.

Henry goes into a movie, where the ballet chick works at the ticket counter. He likes her and leaves a flower for her when he leaves the movie early. He sees Sally at the pointe while out with his dog.

The chick comes into a diner and Hopper (Henry) pretends to be a waiter to be able to talk to her. She leaves after he gives her a pie and chases after the bus she gets on. We’re getting a little Joe Goldberg on this one, eh Henry? He finds out her family has money. Nicky tells him to forget about her.

He sees her walk into the library. She works there, too. She refuses to give her his name. She meets a friend at the diner and he shows up. She introduces herself Caddie something or another. She asks him to go out on Christmas Eve. He says yes thinking its with her, but its with her friend Gretchen. He wears a suit to go roller skating. He ends up talking with Caddie.

Nicky is trying to talk some sense into Henry at the pool hall about Caddie. He thinks she is a lost cause and that Henry shouldn’t waste time on her. We also learn that after the war, Nic isn’t planning on returning to that town.

Henry and Caddie go to Henry’s secret place. Caddie thinks it’s spooky. He razzle dazzles her on the piano. They duet and she avoids kissing him and then leaves. She goes home and we learn that her mom is the maid in the fancy house.

She runs into Henry and he takes her to a pond he hangs out in. He skinny dips and she’s shy so she wears her underwear.
They kiss. She ends up getting naked and they get pretty into it. They get out and bang on the side of the pond. It’s got the romantic feel and pretty great piano playing and sax. I really dig the music in this.

Henry talks to Nicky and says he thinks Caddie is the one. Nicky tells him a guy’s son died in the war. They aren’t going to the funeral. Nicky says he wants an eagle tattoo on his chest. They get drunk are talk about the war. We get a glimpse of Cagey in this scene. They walk into a tattoo parlor and find out they have $1.38. “I’m talking about the high flying red white and blue bird of freedom here!” “The bird of freedom don’t come cheap.”

The guys ‘race’ the train. We find out what that means and that Sally is pregnant. Nicky wants help to fund the abortion. Henry attends the funeral.

There is a reenactment and the guys are in it. Shenanigans ensue and its terrible. Henry stops by the library to see Caddie. She takes him to the hospital where he sees a bunch of wounded guys from the war. He has a conversation with Frank who lost his right leg.

Nic sings Tangerine while they clean up the bowling alley. He gets Cagey and I fucking love it. Sally shows up to the bowling alley and Henry agrees to help pay for the abortion. Sailors! I have got a weakness for our military.
Our boys take on some sailors in a game of 100. It’s risky. The sailor is damn good. I am so into the trumpets that play over the game. They lose and did not have the money, a fight commences, but the guys escape into the car and get to Henry’s place. He’s late for his own birthday party.

Henry asks Caddie for the $150. He still does not know that she is not rich. She gets the money from the rich girl her mom works for. Sally gets the abortion and everyone is pissed at everyone else. Nicky gets Caddie the blue shoes she wanted. Sally tells Nicky to take care of himself. Caddie gives Henry a picture of her. They guys race the train and head out to war. Roll credits.

I am not into romance movies usually. And this one definitely had romance in it. For the most part, it is a look into the time and what a couple of guys do before going off to war. Henry and Nicky are great alongside one another and I love how they compliment each other’s responses every time they interact. Overall, we get a bit more Nic and not so much Cage in this one. That is not a bad thing at all. I loved getting to see him in a more serious role and he cleans up nice. So far, getting to see the evolution of Cage has me getting goosebumps when I catch a glimpse of what I know is to come. Thanks for the experiences, Nic. I can’t wait to start the next one!