First Roles: "Death Wish" featuring Jeff Goldblum (Rescheduled to Sept. 27!)

UPDATE: Due to schedule conflicts, the discussion of Michael Winner's 1974 film "Death Wish" featuring Jeff Goldblum in his big-screen debut has been rescheduled to Sept. 27th. I apologize for the inconvenience!

Join Portland Movie Club members Kyle C. for the next First Roles group discussion! This group focuses on the initial on-screen appearances of celebrated Hollywood icons. For this meeting we will discuss 1974's vigilante action-thriller "Death Wish" that not only features a career defining performance from lead actor Charles Bronson, but also features the debut big-screen performance from Jeff Goldbum who is billed as "Freak #1"

Here's how it works:

1. Watch the movie on your own (or with friends!) Steeaming options include Amazon Prime and AppleTV.
2. We'll meet at Lucky Lab at 4pm (map) There will be a Portland Movie Club sign at our table.
3. Grab some food and drinks and we'll spend some time discussing this masterpiece.

Movie Spotlight: "Death Wish"

In 1970s New York City, architect Paul Kersey (Bronson) returns home from vacation to a city struggling with rising crime. His sense of safety is shattered when his family becomes the target of a violent home invasion, an event that leaves him grieving and unmoored. As he confronts the limits of the justice system and the emotional fallout of the attack, Paul is drawn into a moral crossroads that forces him to reconsider what justice means in a city where danger feels ever‑present. The film follows his transformation as he navigates grief, fear, and the growing tension between lawful order and personal retribution, all against the backdrop of a gritty, uneasy New York.

Early in the film, Paul’s family encounters a trio of young street thugs—one of whom is played by Jeff Goldblum in his first big‑screen speaking role. His appearance is brief but memorable, marking the moment Goldblum first appears in a theatrical feature with dialogue.

In the decades since, Death Wish has remained one of the most debated crime films of its era, both for its gritty portrait of 1970s New York and for the cultural conversations it sparked around fear, justice, and vigilantism. Its influence can be felt in the many films that echoed its themes, and it continues to be revisited as a touchstone of urban‑crime cinema. The movie also holds a special place in film history for marking Jeff Goldblum’s big‑screen debut, offering an early glimpse of an actor who would go on to become one of Hollywood’s most distinctive screen presences.

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