Off Limits (1988)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Christopher Crowe

Writers:

Christopher Crowe (written by) &
Jack Thibeau (written by)

Release Date:

11 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | War | Drama

Tagline:

Being a cop is tough. But in Saigon, 1968, being a cop is crazy.

Plot:

McGriff and Albaby are probably doing the worst law enforcement job in the world - they are plain clothes U.S...

Plot Keywords:

Sniper | Nun | 1960s | Ethnic Slur | Racism

Cast

Willem Dafoe	...	Buck McGriff
Gregory Hines	...	Albaby Perkins
Fred Ward	...	Dix
Amanda Pays	...	Nicole
Kay Tong Lim	...	Lime Green
Scott Glenn	...	Colonel Dexter Armstrong
David Alan Grier	...	Rogers
Keith David	...	Maurice
Raymond O'Connor	...	Elgin Flowers
Richard Brooks	...	Preacher
Thuy An Luu	...	Lanh (as Thuy Ann Luu)
Richard Lee Reed	...	Colonel Sparks
Woody Brown	...	Co-Pilot
Ken Siu	...	Plowboy
Viladda Vanadurongwan	...	Sister Agnes

Also Known As:

Saigon (UK)
Saigon: Off Limits (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:18 (video rating) (cut) | UK:18 (original rating) | USA:R (certificate #28772) | Belgium:KNT (original rating) | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Just before Gregory Hines takes a hold of the crying baby, a glimpse shot of its face is seen and the child is clearly not upset.

Quotes:

Dix: [confessing his crimes in third person] Dix had lead several succsessful missons and his general was ready to reward him... until he saw his tattoo... very working class... the general was so disgusted that he ensured Dix would never get his comisson. Of course he was married
[grunts]
Dix: ... whore... but he did love her... yes siree... killing her was the only way Dix could make the general feel like he did... for being cheated out of his comission. Their were others after her
[mimes shooting his gun]
Dix: pow... pow... pow. Then he behaved... for years he behaved going from one godforsaken barracks to another.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Cop Game (1991)

Soundtrack:

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

Praise for an overlooked and fine film

Off Limits is a tense and even paced thriller. It concerns two cops is Viet Nam investigating a murder of a prostitute and the first suspect is a high ranking Army Officer. The film contains shock after shock, with plenty of plot twists. The dialogue is snappy and the interplay between Dafoe and Hines is excellent. The supporting actors are convincing as well. Kudos to Keith David who plays a paranoid witness to the murder. And one may not soon forget Scott Glenns portrayal as a crazed Officer. The scene in the helicopter is as tense and thrilling as a scene can get. The film is not a preachy summary of the war in Viet Nam but rather just a good mystery and slam bang action. The ending comes around too fast but you have to check it out for yourself. I suggest this film for a rainy Sunday afternoon if you are looking for a good action flick.