John Sedley (Mickey Rourke) is derisively called Johnny Handsome for his disfigured face. During a jewel store robbery in New Orleans, he is double-crossed by fellow criminals Sunny Boyd (Ellen Barkin) and Rafe Garrett (Lance Henriksen). with his friend dead, he is sentenced to five years of hard time. Rafe tries to get him killed in prison but he still refuses to give Rafe up to police Lt. A.Z. Drones (Morgan Freeman). The newspaper falsely reports his death. Dr. Steven Fisher (Forest Whitaker) gives him an experimental surgery to fix his face and give him a new life. With his new face and new name Mitchell, he goes straight with a regular shipyard job and sweet girl Donna McCarty (Elizabeth McGovern) but revenge is always close to his mind.
Before there was Face/Off, there was Johnny Handsome. I'm kidding. I'm not really comparing the two. The premise has its predecessors. This movie does need a better title. Johnny Handsome sounds silly. It should be closer to Pretty Boy Floyd. This movie is also an overlap between the two phases of Mickey Rourke's career. He's the troubled dark pretty leading man from his early days. He's also the malfigured worn down character from The Wrestler. As for the caper, I don't think Sunny would allow the money to leave her sight. There are a couple of questionable moves by some of the characters. It needs a bit of cleanup with the last act.
Before there was Face/Off, there was Johnny Handsome. I'm kidding. I'm not really comparing the two. The premise has its predecessors. This movie does need a better title. Johnny Handsome sounds silly. It should be closer to Pretty Boy Floyd. This movie is also an overlap between the two phases of Mickey Rourke's career. He's the troubled dark pretty leading man from his early days. He's also the malfigured worn down character from The Wrestler. As for the caper, I don't think Sunny would allow the money to leave her sight. There are a couple of questionable moves by some of the characters. It needs a bit of cleanup with the last act.