Loose Cannons (1990)

Why so much hype?

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

I had the opportunity to appear in a few "background" scenes during the filming in DC. As an active duty police detective at that time, I was somewhat critical of how Hackman and company were portrayed. A modern version of the Keystone Cops is not what I had expected. Spending my weekend off with the production/film crew was albeit a worthwhile experience. You are afforded first hand "up close and personal" contact with the actors and the effort it takes to put the entire project together. I watched as Dom Deluise entertained some tourists/passersby when his scene was over and had an occasion to chat with Ronny Cox. Sadly,this was not really a good movie. The actors worked well with what they had, but they had little to work with. Fortunately most of them have moved on to far better scripts to enhance their careers.

How could Gene Hackman be part of this project and still remain dignified throughout the entire movie? Dan Aykroyd has at least done much worse (remember Doctor Detroit) but we kind of expect Hackman to be above this kind of sleazy action/comedy. I guess he thought that he could do Eddie Murphy one better who was at that time the king of action comedy.(Warning: Spoilers) The plot involving the Germans trying to make a Fourth Reich is very tired indeed and they are such an easy target. Check out what happens when Robert Prosky does his "best" Hitler imitation at the end of the movie and look at the screen behind him. Then remember his first scene he's in and it's exactly like you predicted but hoped it wouldn't turn out. I can remember seeing Prosky on Hill Street Blues where he was absolutely great and then seeing him here and saying: "What a tool!"And let's not forget the human blimp Dom DeLuise. Maybe he was funny in the early part of his career but to see him wheeze his way through a part that is miscasting to the max makes you feel nauseous. Ronny Cox of Beverly Hills Cop fame tries a southern accent which makes him sound like a very bad imitation of Billy Bob Thornton.The thing that is funny about this below average film is how many famous people who make perfect fools of themselves and Dan Aykroyd should feel kind of embarrassed to make schizophrenia look annoying instead of a disease. Like Roger Ebert has mentioned: "Any material can be funny if executed the right way." but this is definitely wrong.

It was a torture to stay until the end, but I did it so that I could be objective. This film is unbelievably idiot, pointless, cliche and un-funny. Two great actors, Gene Hackman and Dan Aykroyd spoil in 2 hours what they had built in all their career. There is nothing in this movie worth mentioning, except the fact that it is so awful. The worst parts are by far where this bomb tries to be funny. A total failure. Reaching the so bad it's good category, but it doesn't make it, so I guess not even the MST3K guys would like this one.

I thought that these two actors would make a good film together...I was sorely mistaken. The jokes were bad, Hackman's acting (if it can indeed be called that) is forced, and Aykroyd is flat-out embarrassing. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't; I was asleep. Nothing worked in this movie.