The Hard Way (1991)

An action movie star researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman, who finds him superficial and irritating.

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Lem Dobbs (story), Michael Kozoll (story)

Stars:

Michael J. Fox, James Woods, Stephen Lang

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael J. Fox	...	Nick Lang
James Woods	...	John Moss
Stephen Lang	...	Party Crasher
Annabella Sciorra	...	Susan
John Capodice	...	Grainy
Luis Guzmán	...	Pooley (as Luis Guzman)
LL Cool J	...	Billy
Mary Mara	...	China
Delroy Lindo	...	Captain Brix
Conrad Roberts	...	Witherspoon
Penny Marshall	...	Angie
Christina Ricci	...	Bonnie
George Cheung	...	Drug Dealer
Frank Geraci	...	Newsman
Sophie Maletsky	...	Pizza Waitress

Storyline

Nick Lang is a famous Hollywood actor, well known for his action movies. For his next movie, he needs the proper motivation and inspiration for his role. Thus he teams up with the reluctant New York policeman Lt. John Moss. Not only does he have to put up with Nick, who is laborious and out of touch with realities, but he also has to catch a coldblooded murderer.

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Plot Keywords:

movie star | actor | detective | film within a film | buddy cop | 

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Taglines:

Michael J. Fox as Hollywood's most spoiled movie star: James Woods as New York's angriest cop.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

During one of the attacks on Nick and John, one of the bankers is stand-up comic Lewis Black.

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Goofs

When Nick is pretending to be John's girlfriend in the bar, he sighs. Even though his mouth his wide open as he sighs, he says, "Susan".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Operator: 9-1-1 Emergency.
Party Crasher: Hello there! It's me - again! Well, what can I say? I'm about to crash another party.

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Alternate Versions

In addition to the usual cuts for broadcast standards, the version aired on NBC (and later on USA, etc.) showed scenes out of sequence. Just after John first meets Nick at the police station, the movie jumps to the two of them at the hot dog stand. After that entire scene plays out, it then goes back to the scene that would have originally preceded it, with John taking Nick to the ghetto to question the Dead Romeos. The re-edit probably would have been unnoticeable to a viewer if not for the fact that at the hot dog stand they are seen with a new, garish police car to replace one that was destroyed in the Dead Romeos scene.

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Connections

Referenced in Showbiz Today: Episode dated 1 May 1991 (1991)

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Soundtracks

Momma Said Knock You Out
Written by LL Cool J (as J.T. Smith), Marley Marl (as M. Williams) and Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin
Performed by LL Cool J (as L L Cool J)
Produced by Marley Marl and LL Cool J (as L L Cool J)
Co-produced by Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin
Courtesy of Columbia/Def Jam Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Ahead of its time

There's something different about "The Hard Way", something in its approach to a well-worn genre. Buddy cop movies were all over the place back then, and here's another one to throw on the pile. But having a pampered actor hang around a disgruntled cop offers an opportunity for Hollywood satire, which freshens up the mismatched partners angle. James Woods tends to be hit-or-miss for me, but he's ideal in such a hothead role. And wired Michael J. Fox provides a great foil. The whole thing works; the script's focused, the action's energetic and it always has that meta feel to it.

7/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 March 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hard Way

Filming Locations:

McSorley's Old Ale House, 15 East 7th Street, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,301,470, 10 March 1991

Gross USA:

$25,895,485

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$65,595,485

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, The Badham-Cohen Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1