The Principals: Director: Taylor Hackford. Stars: Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods
The Premise: Terry Brogan, an injury-riddled football player (Bridges), is dumped from his team, the copyright friendly L.A. Outlaws. Desperate for cash, he winds up in the sleazy hands of Jake Wise (James Woods) and agrees to go look for Wise’s girlfriend, Jessie (Rachel Ward). Wise is “mad” for the girl, even though she tried to stab him to death. Brogan has a twinge of conscience about that bit of violence, and goes to chat with her adoptive family — who also happen to own the Outlaws, and who also happen to be looking for Jessie. Brogan stands to benefit no matter who pays him the bounty. Passively Dude-like, he ambles on down to Mexico to find her. He does. Soon, they’re rolling around in the sand to a musical backdrop of steel drums and 1980s synth. Naturally, their love causes all hell to break loose. Wise sends goons after Brogan, Jessie goes back to Wise, and the film screeches to a halt for a performance by Kid Creole and the Coconuts. Everyone you met in the first half hour of the film is involved in Wise’s organized crime ring. Brogan is woefully unprepared for all of this, especially the Kid Creole concerts. He can’t even fight dudes as well as a football player should be able to. And he just wants Jessie back, man.
Is It Worth A Look: Yes, purely for the Mexican scenery and the sex. There’s sunsets, palm trees, pristine white beaches, tropical seas, and Mayan ruins. (Considering the awful damage being done to the Gulf, you’ll probably
have to do with surf scenes like this for decades to come. Stock up now.) Bridges and Ward heave themselves against all of it. They even get it on in a Mayan sweat lodge, which
probably angers the ancient gods and brings James Woods against them.
Random Anecdotes: Bridges based his character of Terry Brogan on the L.A. Raiders’ Bob Chandler, so if you know that Hall of Famer really well, maybe you’ll see echoes of him. And Phil Collins was nominated for an Oscar for the title song.
Cinematic Soulmates: Body Heat, and all their 80s neo-noir cousins. It’s also a remake of the superior Out of the Past.
5 comments
Daniel Manwaring was such an interesting and strange writer. To have your first novel ever come out like "Build My Gallows High" is something. Would probably be a solid remake as "Odds" is a pretty big departure.
Elizabeth, you're writing for CHUD now?
Welcome.
If I had to choose between this or Tequila Sunrise….hmmm would be a good fight. There's overacting in both, beautiful people playing both sides of the law…long drawn out sex scenes..I do love Phil COllins song..though I'd rather look at a early-mid 80's Michelle pfeiffer. Somehow I always bunched these two movies together. It's a nice light double feature if you have a slow Sunday night with your lover.
You forgot a pretty killer car chase/race between Woods in the Ferrari and Bridges in the Porsche…great sequence.
I enjoyed this article. There is hardly a movie that slipped by me in the 80's but this one did until last night. A bit dated, and looking back, formula now, but man Jeff Bridges looks good and acts well. I love how he always plays something new and original. I laughed at the end, always loved that song but why is there such a long live camera shot on Rachel's character at the end?
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