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5.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Palooka from Paducah remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're a die-hard fan of the Keaton family, you’ll find plenty to like here. It's the kind of movie that feels like a family gathering that went slightly off the rails.
Casual viewers who need a tight, polished story should probably look elsewhere. It’s a bit of a disaster, honestly, but a fun one.
The whole premise is as thin as a piece of parchment. Prohibition ends, the booze money vanishes, and suddenly these folks are broke.
Instead of getting a real job, they throw their brother into the wrestling ring. It’s the sort of logic you only find in 1930s comedy shorts. It works just enough to make you chuckle.
There is a moment where Dewey Robinson looks absolutely terrified, and I’m pretty sure he wasn't acting. It’s these little, unscripted-feeling flickers that make the movie worth a look.
The wrestling scenes? They are pure slapstick carnage. It reminded me a little bit of the physical desperation in In the Dog House, but with more people being thrown through curtains.
Myra Keaton has this way of staring at the camera that makes me think she’s judging the director's choices. It’s hilarious.
It’s not as tightly wound as The Bad Man, but it’s got a weird energy. You can tell they were just having a blast making it, even if the plot makes absolutely zero sense by the twenty-minute mark. 🥊
It’s a sloppy, energetic, and sometimes frustrating mess. Just like a real family dinner, I guess. Keep your expectations low and your coffee strong.