IMDb RATING
6.4/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
An ex-hit man wants a police detective/novelist to write his biography.An ex-hit man wants a police detective/novelist to write his biography.An ex-hit man wants a police detective/novelist to write his biography.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
Charles Tyner
- Cleve's Father
- (as Harold Tyner)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJames Woods had just quit smoking prior to filming. When it came time to shoot the cigarette on the palm scene, Woods suggested he take an already lit cigarette off of a patron--that way he wouldn't have to light and smoke a cigarette.
- GoofsWhile the robbery at the beginning of the movie was set in 1972, the robbers are driving a 1975-1978 Ford Econoline van.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Saturday Night Live: James Woods/Don Henley (1989)
Featured review
Brief Synopsis - A detective who wrote a best selling novel about a crime he helped foil is approached by a man who wants to be the focus of his next book since he claims to be a hitman who has killed hundreds for his boss.
My Take on it - This is yet another film that I recall really enjoying as a kid when I saw it numerous times on cable.
Unfortunately, it doesn't stand up so well nearly 30 years later.
The premise is actually a very good one, but the performances and script feel quite subdued.
I would have expected a story with this kind of premise to be more thrilling and exciting to watch, but instead it moves along at a pretty slow pace.
I have always been a fan of both Brian Dennehy and James Woods, but neither does enough here to grab our attention.
The premise of a writer living out the story of his next book isn't a new one and there are numerous films that have done this much better than they have managed to do here.
There are some scenes that feel quite 1980's which must have made it better back then,but couldn't carry over to now.
It was funny to see Alisson Balson who played Nancy Oleson from Little House on the Prairie featured here as Dennehey's daughter.
My Take on it - This is yet another film that I recall really enjoying as a kid when I saw it numerous times on cable.
Unfortunately, it doesn't stand up so well nearly 30 years later.
The premise is actually a very good one, but the performances and script feel quite subdued.
I would have expected a story with this kind of premise to be more thrilling and exciting to watch, but instead it moves along at a pretty slow pace.
I have always been a fan of both Brian Dennehy and James Woods, but neither does enough here to grab our attention.
The premise of a writer living out the story of his next book isn't a new one and there are numerous films that have done this much better than they have managed to do here.
There are some scenes that feel quite 1980's which must have made it better back then,but couldn't carry over to now.
It was funny to see Alisson Balson who played Nancy Oleson from Little House on the Prairie featured here as Dennehey's daughter.
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Hard Cover
- Filming locations
- Los Angeles City Hall - 200 North Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA(Interior and exterior shots. 1972 flashback robbery scenes- As Police Depository Building.)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,278,150
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $905,399
- Sep 27, 1987
- Gross worldwide
- $4,278,150
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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