The Grind of Getting By

And the Dream of Getting Ahead

“What is your blood and sweat worth?” This is the question Bill Tully, an aging boxer, asks his manager in Fat City. John Huston’s 1972 movie tackles the topic of what it means and what it takes to get by.

The movie’s characters struggle with the everydayness of work, the complexity of relationships, and their desire to do more with their lives. It is a slow paced character study that peers into the protagonist’s life and examines his efforts to move beyond getting by and to hopefully get ahead.