The Mod Squad (1999)

Three minor delinquints (Danes, Ribisi, and Epps) are recruited by a cop (Farina) working undercover to bust a cop/drug ring. When the officer who recruited them is killed, they go above ... See full summary »

Director:

Scott Silver

Writers:

Buddy Ruskin (characters), Stephen Kay,

Stars:

Claire Danes, Giovanni Ribisi, Omar Epps

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Claire Danes	...	Julie
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Pete
Omar Epps	...	Linc
Dennis Farina	...	Greer
Josh Brolin	...	Billy
Steve Harris	...	Briggs
Richard Jenkins	...	Mothershed
Larry Brandenburg	...	Eckford
Lionel Mark Smith	...	Lanier
Sam McMurray	...	Tricky
Michael O'Neill	...	Greene
Stephen Kay	...	Bald Dude (as Stephen T. Kay)
Bodhi Elfman	...	Gilbert - Skinny Freak (as Bodhi Pine Elfman)
Holmes Osborne	...	Mr. Cochrane
Dey Young	...	Mrs. Cochrane

Storyline

Three minor delinquints (Danes, Ribisi, and Epps) are recruited by a cop (Farina) working undercover to bust a cop/drug ring. When the officer who recruited them is killed, they go above and beyond the call of duty to solve the murder; and bust the drug ring. Suffering the jibes, and ridicule of fellow officers; they struggle to save their names, and that of their deceased benefactor.

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | drug ring | undercover | murder | police station | 

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Taglines:

No badge. No gun. No problem.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, violence and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mod Squad - O Filme

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$6,064,716 (USA) (26 March 1999)

Gross:

$13,260,050 (USA) (25 June 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris turned down the offer to direct.

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Goofs

As Billy Waites drives to the party with his prostitutes, he is driving a Cadillac Seville (4-door). When Julie Barnes leaves and steals the car, they show a Cadillac Eldorado (2-door) driving away. When she lights it on fire, it is back to being a Seville again.

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Quotes

Det. Tricky: Hey ma mere. Where you going with that fine little ass baby? Why don't ya get out on the street earn a real living huh, start hustling (laughing)
Julie: What?
Det. Tricky: She digs me. You have your hall pass young lady?
Julie: Yeah you wanna see my hall pass?
Det. Tricky: Yeah and I wanna see you in detention.
Pete: Hey hey, why do you have to be such a pussy huh, leave her alone alright.
Det. Tricky: Who are you calling a pussy? Pussy!

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Connections

Spoofs Lethal Weapon (1987)

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Soundtracks

"Keep a Lid on Things"
Written by Brad Roberts and Greg Wells
Performed by Crash Test Dummies
Courtesy of BMG Music Canada/Arista Records Inc.

User Reviews

The Cliche Squad

Young writers, young auteur, young cast, busload of producers, what could go wrong? Everything. Even lame is too good a description, that suggests that three of four legs were functioning, when actually, none of them were. Barely enough recycled plotline for a 48 and a half minute television hour, gratingly stretched to ninety minutes. The audience was talking back to the screen, so bad was the story. Dirty cops steal drugs from the evidence locker. How many thousands of times has this been done on television? Bad cops frame good cops. Again, how many times? There was not an original shred in this entire concoction. Giovanni Ribisi made a valiant effort to prop up the lack of script, drawing the only laughs of the entire movie. And the thought of he and Claire Danes working from a real script with a grown-up director and photographed by an actual cinematographer intrigues me. Note to screenwriters: Buy one of those story generators. It can't possibly be as bad as ripping off bad television. Note to auteur: There are shots available to you other than closeups. Even the lovely and interesting face of Claire Danes eventually grows tiresome in closeup. Note to cinematographer: Apprentice yourself to a professional for a few years--you have much to learn. Note to color timer at the lab: At least try to persuade the auteur and the cinematographer that they don't know what they're talking about. Note to Claire: I hope this paid for your new condo. It's time to get some professional management and start actually reading the scripts before signing on.