MovieChat Forums > Running on Empty (1988) Discussion > "I'm not a bully, I'm a liar"

"I'm not a bully, I'm a liar"

posted 9 years ago by !!!deleted!!! (33407653)
7 replies | jump to latest

Therein starts one of the greatest scenes in all of cinema. River Phoenix's acting of this scene is one of the best performances by an actor in the history of film. You can feel the emotion, in his voice; see it in his body. This is a good film. sometimes great, that brings to life the idealism of the sixties, but what makes it stand out is the brilliant performance of Phoenix. This scene, one of the most romantic ever put to film, rips my heart out every time I see it.

[–] jayhn1111 9 years ago

I always thought she said "you're a boy". Because he didn't have sex with her. That completely changes the scene for me then. But why was he a bully?

[–] PrometheusTree64 9 years ago

But why was he a bully?

A good question. And I'm not sure the scene, good as it is, quite sells us why he's a bully or she thinks he is.

Probably she means that she takes his ambivalence as a seducer's power game, that he's coming on to her and when she makes the first move, he rebuffs her. But she doesn't understand the real reason for his reticence: fear of exposure of his family and/or fear of any close relationship he knows he won't be able to pursue or maintain.

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LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA

[–] liscarkat-2 9 years ago

"the idealism of the '60s"

Ugh, ugh, ugh, puuuuuuuuuuuuke!!!!!!!

[–] PrometheusTree64 9 years ago

But liscart-2, you're just a rightwing spammer-poster, as every weirdly embittered keystroke reveals.

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LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA

[–] Jackie68 8 years ago

I think she called him a bully because he came in her house and virtually forced her to go with him.

[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

LOL!

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[–] DracTarashV 9 years ago

That scene is undoubtedly River's best. He delivered a staggering performance.

Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!