The Last Boy Scout (1991)

Truly Dreadful Film

Brilliant and touching

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Tony Scott's The Last Boy Scout arrived at a time when the macho action thrillers popularised in the 1980's were starting to die out. This, combined with its odd Christmas-time release, meant that the film would go on to underwhelm at the box-office, although it would prove a hit in the rental market and reignite Bruce Willis' action career after the failure of Hudson Hawk. It also took a beating from critics, many voicing their displeasure at the foul-mouthed dialogue and particularly brutal violence. It's a shame really, as looking back, The Last Boy Scout really represents the pinnacle of this overly masculine sub-genre, even though it arrived at a time when audiences were growing tired with it. Yes, it's preposterous, crude and slightly misogynistic, but it's also funny, clever and features screenwriter Shane Black at his most quotable best.The movie begins with making a mockery of American Football's televised musical intros, before diving right into the thick of the action on a particularly dark and rainy night. Running back Billy Cole (Tae Bo guru Billy Blanks) is having a great night on the field before outside pressures and a hit of PCP lead him to shoot up half of the opposition before turning the gun on himself. Deadbeat private investigator Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is acting as a bodyguard for young stripper Cory (Halle Berry), whilst dealing with his own marital problems in a cheating wife and brat daughter. When Cory is killed, her boyfriend - disgraced former quarterback Jimmy Dix (Damon Wayans) - finds himself reluctantly buddying up with Joe to slowly unravel a conspiracy that may expose corruption on a massive scale, and offer an explanation for Billy Cole's mysterious suicide. Their snooping isn't appreciated however, and they soon find themselves the target of a criminal gang desperate to cover their tracks and see their plan through to the end.The Last Boy Scout was famously dogged by production problems, where producer Joel Silver was often cited as the cause of it all. Silver and Willis allegedly took over production, forcing Scott to film scenes he didn't approve of and altering Black's script so much that the finally story barely resembled his original idea. Scott would take revenge in his next film True Romance, where the role of a controlling, cocaine-fuelled producer was modelled on Silver. On top of everything else, Willis and Wayans hated each other. Impressively, these troubles somehow can't be seen in the final product. The chemistry between the two leads is one of the movie's strongest suits, and the plot unravels coherently with more car chases and shoot-outs than you could ever hope for. Scott shoots the film with a glossy commercial aesthetic that works well in the context of the tacky world the film is looking to expose. But the real winner here was Black, who pocketed a cool $1.75 million for his efforts after suffering a setback in his personal life. Despite the changes, this still has the writer's fingerprints all over it, even eclipsing what is undoubtedly his most popular work, Lethal Weapon. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

Joseph Hallenbeck is a Los Angeles private detective who left the US Secret Service under a cloud after striking Senator Calvin Baynard; Jimmy Dix is a former American Football quarterback who was kicked out of the game for gambling offences… this unlikely pair find themselves working together when the woman Joe was hired to protect, Jimmy's girlfriend, is murdered. They are both determined to get to the bottom of what happened. They discover that she had incriminating evidence that linked local football team owner Shelly Marcone and Senator Baynard concerning an investigation into the legalisation of gambling of sports in the US. The evidence is destroyed but it points them in the right direction and soon they, along with Joe's teenage daughter, Darian, are in considerable danger.If one was in any doubt that this was going to rather over the top the opening scene will dispel those doubts… the sight of a professional football player pulling a gun and shooting several opponents before killing himself was almost laughable. We then get a story full of clichés; the mismatched characters who bond over the course of the series, bad guys dispatched with witty quips and a hero's daughter caught up in events… at first these clichés are mildly irritating but as it progresses they become amusing as one spots each new one. This may all make this sound like a poor film but ultimately it is rather fun… there is lots of great action with shootings, explosions and even a bad guy getting sliced-and-diced as he falls through a helicopter's rotors! Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans put in solid performances as Joe and Jimmy. Halle Berry puts in a nice little performance, in an early role, as Jimmy's girlfriend; it was a pity her character was killed so soon. Young Danielle Harris also impresses as Joe's daughter, a character who could easily have been irritating. Overall this isn't really a classic but if you like '90s action it is certainly worth checking out.

Following on from the big flop Hudson Hawk, Bruce Willis, with able support from Damon Wayans and Danielle Harris, comes out all guns blazing in this action classic, directed by Tony Scott.Willis stars as Joe Hallenbeck, a down on his luck Private Investigator who was once a presidential body guard, who is hired (well, sort of...watch the movie) by a stripper named Cory (a very young and very hot Halle Berry) whose received death threats. Cory meets her demise so her boyfriend, former pro footballer Jimmy Deeks (Damon Wayans), teams up with Joe to take on wealthy millionaire Shelly Marcone (Noble Willigham) and his henchmen, led by the insane Milo (Taylor Negron). Joe's daughter, Darian (Danielle Harris) also get dragged along for the ride.Willis is in Die Hard: With a Vengeance MaClane mode here, with a strong hint of Rodney Dangerfield, while Wayans finds the perfect big screen vehicle for his stand up schtick. Negron is excellent as an OTT villain with some bizarre habits, he acts like a bad guy from a lethal weapon movie.We get to see a lot of explosions and gun play, as you'd expect from a Tony Scott film, while the comedy parts in the script will have you in stitches. This is the film that reinvigorated Willis' career following the failure of Hudson Hawk, and reminded us all of how much fun buddy action movies could be if done right. This one has the right mixture of action and laughs to give any one a fun couple of hours.

I remember to see this movie in theaters and become one of my all time action movies favorites.I don't know why the critics hate it so much!!! I mean the movie have all:Great action scenes,The chemistry between Willis and Wayans are great,Awesome direction of Tony Scott (RIP)and a great soundtrack.I always says that this movie of one of the top 5 movies in Bruce Willis Filmography and i love that in all this years the movie have the recognition that deserves.See it and you got have a great ride and BELIEVE ME is a lot lot better that a lot of action movies out there.Give a the movie a chance and you simply gonna love it!