Dogfight (film)

Dogfight is a 1991 film set in San Francisco, California, during the Vietnam War 1963 1966. It stars River Phoenix and Lili Taylor, and was directed by Nancy Savoca.

The first portion of the film is set on November21, 1963 the day before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Birdlace and three of his Marine buddies have arrived in San Francisco for twentyfour hours, before shipping off to Vietnam, and are planning on attending a dogfight a party where Marines compete to bring the ugliest date, unbeknownst to the girls they bring later that evening. They separate into the city to attempt to find dates. After a few women reject his advances, Birdlace ducks into a coffee shop, where he encounters Rose, a waitress, on her break, practicing her guitar. She is not particularly ugly, but rather plain, shy and awkward. Birdlace attempts to charm her, complimenting her on her guitar playing, and inviting her to a party. She is suspicious of his motives, but decides to accept his invitation.While walking to the bar where the party is to be held, Birdlace begins to have second thoughts about playing such a cruel trick on Rose after realizing shes not ugly enough to compete, and attempts to talk her out of going in. However they encounter one of Birdlaces buddies and his date in front of the bar, and so he has no choice but to proceed with Rose into the dogfight. Birdlace proceeds to get drunk, presumably feeling guilty. Shortly after, Rose convinces Birdlace to dance with her, though at first he resists because he knows thats where the dates get judged. The alcohol and dancing eventually make Rose feel dizzy, and she rushes off and ends up getting sick in the rest room. Rose does not win the dogfight Marcie, the date of Birdlaces friend Berzin, is the winner. In the ladies room, it is revealed that Marcie is actually a prostitute whom Berzin has hired which is a violation of the rules of the dogfight and clues Rose in to the true nature of the party. Rose is devastated, tears into Birdlace, and then storms off. Birdlace immediately regrets having treated Rose so cruelly, and chases after her. He convinces her to let him buy her dinn

Source: Wikipedia