The Hard Way

3/8/19911h 51m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ There's only one way these two are going to get along... ~

Overview:

Seeking to raise his credibility as an actor and to land a role as a tough cop on a new show, Hollywood action star Nick Lang works a deal with New York City Police Capt. Brix, who by chance is one of his fans. Nick will be paired with detective Lt. John Moss and learn how to act like a real cop. But when Nick drives John crazy with questions and imitating him, he gets in the way of John's pursuit of a serial killer.

Director:

John Badham

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$24,000,000.00

Revenue:

$65,595,485.00

Key words:

dual identity
undercover agent
police
identity
detective
role reversal
movie star
buddy cop
manhattan, new york city

Cast

Michael J. Fox

~ as ~

Nick Lang

James Woods

~ as ~

John Moss

Stephen Lang

~ as ~

Party Crasher

Annabella Sciorra

~ as ~

Susan

John Capodice

~ as ~

Grainy

Luis Guzmán

~ as ~

Pooley

LL Cool J

~ as ~

Billy

Mary Mara

~ as ~

China

Delroy Lindo

~ as ~

Captain Brix

Conrad Roberts

~ as ~

Witherspoon

View full cast & crew

Reviews (2)

TheJonathanSim
Written 6 year(s) ago
4
What do you call an action comedy with no cool action and no funny comedy?

The Hard Way.
John Chard
Written 5 year(s) ago
6
Will you open up? I just want to know what it feels like to be inside your skin.

The Hard Way is directed by John Badham and collectively written by Lem Dobbs, Michael Kozoll and Daniel Pyne. It stars James Woods, Michael J. Fox, Stephen Lang, Annabella Sciorra, Luis Guzman, LL Cool J and Delroy Lindo. Music is by Arthur B. Rubinstein and cinematography is by Don McAlpine and Robert Primes.

An action movie star researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman, who is less than enamoured with his company as he looks to stop the serial killer known as "The Party Crasher".

Given John Badham's CV, The Hard Way looked to be right up his street, his career containing solid if unspectacular buddy buddy action comedy pictures. This is just above average thanks to the Woods and Fox pairing and some nifty dialogue one liners. The concept of a Hollywood star tagging along with a grizzled real copper is smart, but the pic ends up over stuffed, even if the action and comedy - courtesy of some high energy set-pieces - rewards enough to stop tedium setting in.

Lang's maniacal villain is over the top, though he seems to be enjoying himself, while such is the brisk pace for the most part, when it sags into its quieter periods it strains the patience - the blend uneasy. Yet the finale rewards on basic action terms, with suspense intact, to ultimately give us a just above average pic of its type. 6/10