Movie: The Pick-up Artist

Finally saw after 20 some years.  Interesting they shot in Coney Island same year I shot Pearls Before Swine.  Lame movie.  Toback is all panache, but can't pull off the drama of a Scorsese and can't passionately pursue a story without getting sidetracked with his own brilliance.  Molly Ringwald, what horrible casting, and pretty much at the limits of her powers (as opposed to heights).  Even Robert Downey Jr. seemed kind of plain and without his subsequent manic inspiration.  Fingers was better, if even a bit overreaching, at least had some genuine balls to it.  This seems like an attempt to pander and get acceptable, but horribly mawkish results.  weak all around.  Toback may be an auteur but there's not a lot of brilliance on the screen.