Best Seller (1987)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

John Flynn

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

25 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A hired assassin. A cop turned author. Together they're rewriting the rulebook on the Mob.

Plot:

Hit man Cleve approaches writer/cop Dennis about a story for his next book: How Cleve made a living...

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | 1970s | Father Daughter Relationship | Police | Road

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

James Woods	...	Cleve
Brian Dennehy	...	Dennis Meechum
Victoria Tennant	...	Roberta Gillian
Allison Balson	...	Holly Meechum
Paul Shenar	...	David Madlock
George Coe	...	Graham
Anne Pitoniak	...	Mrs. Foster
Mary Carver	...	Cleve's mother
Sully Boyar	...	Monks
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Annie
Charles Tyner	...	Cleve's Father (as Harold Tyner)
E. Brian Dean	...	Taxi Driver
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Pearlman
Edward Blackoff	...	Thorn
Branscombe Richmond	...	Longshoreman #1

Runtime:

110 min | UK:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #28242) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: While the robbery at the beginning of the movie was set in 1972, the robbers are driving a 1975-1978 Ford Econoline van.

Quotes:

Cleve: [as he menaces Roberta Gillian with a knife] Am I sympathetic? Will they like me? Please don't lie to me! Is it an important book?

Exciting But Violent Thriller

"Best Seller" is essentially a two character movie. On one hand there is Brian Dennehy as a veteran cop who also writes crime novels based on real events. On the other hand there is James Woods as a professional killer who has been spurned by his former employer (Paul Shenar). He seeks out Dennehy to try to convince him to write his story of how a now rich and powerful magnate rose to the top over the bodies of others.

The first part of the movie involves Woods trying to convince Dennehy that his story is on the level. The second part of the story covers Shenar's attempts to intimidate Woods and Dennehy and prevent the publication of Dennehy's book.

Woods and Dennehy play off of each other marvelously. Woods is cold and calculating as the hit man and Dennehy is torn between his sworn duty as a cop and his desire to get to the truth.

"Best Seller" is not for the faint of heart. There are scenes of graphic violence, which I feel are necessary within the context of the story. The film is worth a look if for nothing else than to watch two veteran performers at their best.