I've seen this fine film many times. First back in the 80's when it came out, on copied VHS, with water colored screen, it looked better than your usual crime flick of that era. The story and the script are pretty usual but the acting and the feel was great. Jeff Bridges was in top form circa 1985, and by that I mean his acting form, although the movies he appeared in weren't that great. But he was, and Andy Garcia, who I first saw in this film, was no ordinary villain. He was evil incarnate behind the boy's face. Those two made the movie, their interaction and friction made sparks that lifted the story above ground and supporting cast held it together,(above all Rosanna Arquette and Randy Brooks), and it never looked like once great director Hal Ashby was in his heyday, was loosing it on the set. The movie delivered. It's no "Body Heat", but it's far better than most of silly, superficial, with "plot holes you can lead elephants through", popular movies of that decade. That's why I never understood it's poor rating. There are movies like this one, that are more than decent and they wallow in mediocrity while others, that didn't even deserve to be released, have been on DVD and even Blue-ray, long ago.
Years later, I had to dispose of my old battle weary VHS copy of this film, haven't seen it for almost 15 years,and than had a good chance to catch it on satellite. The years went by, but I still had the same emotions watching it, as I did more than 20 years ago. That's when you know that something is gotta be good. Give it a chance, you won't regret it.
Years later, I had to dispose of my old battle weary VHS copy of this film, haven't seen it for almost 15 years,and than had a good chance to catch it on satellite. The years went by, but I still had the same emotions watching it, as I did more than 20 years ago. That's when you know that something is gotta be good. Give it a chance, you won't regret it.