If I wanna be sarcastic, then this movie gives me more than one chance: (Tracey Needham) was taller and bigger than everybody!, (Charles Durning) was a 76 years old cop, who had that one titan paunch?! So how could he manage to ride the motorcycle at the end, being disguised as a road patrol officer??!!, (James Belushi) was shorter than (Needham), so I think they made him stand on something while talking to her! Not to mention that he looked older than her too! And the nice loving cop, (Patrick Ersgard), seemed all the time like (Tom Green)'s look-alike!
But if I wanna be serious, then let me say that the script suffered from some hastiness. For huge instance, the love story between the undercover cop (Belushi) and the hunted lawyer (Needham) was very fabricated; with Just couple of scenes, and a dialogue about perfection and fighting for justice. It wasn't a problem for them to add some more scenes or dialogues to convince the characters and us. And for small instance, considering the condition of (Durning)'s age and belly, why he wasn't made as a retired police detective who works as a private eye?!
The direction handled the subject well, but while the story had a cinematic sense, there was too TV-ish dealing. I hated the determination to film maybe everything in close-ups as another typical TV movie, as if somebody would sue them if they did anything else! Look at the scenes of (Jobeth Williams), they were shot all in her office; that's boring if you asked me. And what is it with all of those wipe transitions, like it's a movie from the 1940s; I didn't like it as a goofy element compared to the whole thing. While the music was loyal to the atmosphere, especially at the start, it didn't keep up with the heat of the rest. The lighting was generally excessive which made the image a dully sparkling white for most of the time. And while nearly the cast delivered a wonderful performance, all of them with each other had weak chemistry, or some kind of disharmony!
However, there were some exceptional factors. Despite anything, (Durning)'s performance was lovable; even his Rambo's war scream at the climactic shootout was lively and harmonic. (Needham) had a shining presence, and tender performance. And true that the script wasn't excellent, but I can't deny that it pulled off being very good, with thrilling treatment, hot conflict, strong characters, and some clever lines too; mostly for the character of the old detective (Moe Ryan) played by (Durning), let alone those many points of view about justice; being blind as helpless, or half blind to let some people fulfilling it by other ways than the law!
It could have been made for the big screen yet with the expensive stars, the compulsory nudity, the sex scene, some smashing explosions, and maybe a slick twist at the end (you know, the usual of Hollywood!). Though this movie is nice and entertaining, with fair acting, well-done excitement, and an acrid satire. Plus, it doesn't have that easy happy ending, since the basic 2 drugs' lords ran away at last, hence justice, by the law or by bare hands, is not entirely perfect!
They wanted a TV night movie and they made one. However, if you felt a little frustration after the viewing, then that was because your own belief that this movie wasn't quite just to its powerful potentials; they deserved more than a customary TV work.
But if I wanna be serious, then let me say that the script suffered from some hastiness. For huge instance, the love story between the undercover cop (Belushi) and the hunted lawyer (Needham) was very fabricated; with Just couple of scenes, and a dialogue about perfection and fighting for justice. It wasn't a problem for them to add some more scenes or dialogues to convince the characters and us. And for small instance, considering the condition of (Durning)'s age and belly, why he wasn't made as a retired police detective who works as a private eye?!
The direction handled the subject well, but while the story had a cinematic sense, there was too TV-ish dealing. I hated the determination to film maybe everything in close-ups as another typical TV movie, as if somebody would sue them if they did anything else! Look at the scenes of (Jobeth Williams), they were shot all in her office; that's boring if you asked me. And what is it with all of those wipe transitions, like it's a movie from the 1940s; I didn't like it as a goofy element compared to the whole thing. While the music was loyal to the atmosphere, especially at the start, it didn't keep up with the heat of the rest. The lighting was generally excessive which made the image a dully sparkling white for most of the time. And while nearly the cast delivered a wonderful performance, all of them with each other had weak chemistry, or some kind of disharmony!
However, there were some exceptional factors. Despite anything, (Durning)'s performance was lovable; even his Rambo's war scream at the climactic shootout was lively and harmonic. (Needham) had a shining presence, and tender performance. And true that the script wasn't excellent, but I can't deny that it pulled off being very good, with thrilling treatment, hot conflict, strong characters, and some clever lines too; mostly for the character of the old detective (Moe Ryan) played by (Durning), let alone those many points of view about justice; being blind as helpless, or half blind to let some people fulfilling it by other ways than the law!
It could have been made for the big screen yet with the expensive stars, the compulsory nudity, the sex scene, some smashing explosions, and maybe a slick twist at the end (you know, the usual of Hollywood!). Though this movie is nice and entertaining, with fair acting, well-done excitement, and an acrid satire. Plus, it doesn't have that easy happy ending, since the basic 2 drugs' lords ran away at last, hence justice, by the law or by bare hands, is not entirely perfect!
They wanted a TV night movie and they made one. However, if you felt a little frustration after the viewing, then that was because your own belief that this movie wasn't quite just to its powerful potentials; they deserved more than a customary TV work.