Blue Jean Cop

Not a classic, but an enjoyable 80s action flick with the always charming Sam Elliott as a gruff NYPD detective and Peter Weller as a quirky lawyer teaming up to take down some dirty cops. From writer/director James Glickenhaus, who brought us the grindhouse classic THE EXTERMINATOR, this is his most polished film, but its major weakness is how conventional it is compared to his rule-breaking grindhouse classic. Still, the leads are great, even if Elliott doesn't get enough screen time, 80s character actors litter the screen everywhere, and the film does a great job of using practical locations on the filthy streets of NYC before Giuliani cleaned it up. Behind the scenes, Weller and Elliot were assigned bodyguards for the night shoots in Times Square, back when it was still populated with peepshows, pimps, and criminals before it became Disneyland. Another strength of the film is all of the practical stunt work. There's no CGI here! Stuntmen really did all the leaping from buildings, crazy car rolls, and hanging off of bridges. Outside of some awful blue screen during the film's finale, the film has a gritty and grounded feel to the action that makes it a must-see for fans of 80s action films.

4-7-19 Enjoyably cliched 80s buddy cop film with more mullets than you can shake a stick at!

Shakedown (1988) *** I don't think I'd seen this film since it originally came out in the theater. I remember thinking it was pretty ridiculous then, but it's aged better than I'd expected, mainly thanks to it's cast, the use of actual NYC locations, and 80s action film nostalgia value. Peter Weller plays a groovy lawyer and Sam Elliott plays a renegade narcotics detective. It's a cliche ridden story of Weller and Elliott then face off against drug dealers, corrupt police officers, and other assorted low-lifes. The script by writer/director James Glickenhaus is pretty awful, but his action sequences are serviceable. In the film's favor is the fun pairing of Elliott and Weller and also the use of grimy pre-Giuliani NYC locations, including one action sequence filmed at 42nd Street in Times Square when it was still a den of go-go bars, peep shows, and adult theaters. It was certainly a good thing that Giuliani cleaned up the streets of NYC, but when it comes to movies filmed in The Big Apple, I have a fond affection for films like "The Warriors", "Maniac", "Gloria", "C. H. U. D.", "Black Caesar", "Across 110th Street", "Combat Shock", or even Glickenhaus' own "The Exterminator" which all prominently featured the seedy side of the city that never sleeps. Also in the film's favor is that it featured more mullets than any recent action film I can think of outside of "Roadhouse". Overall, "Shakedown" is a highly routine buddy cop picture to the degree of being a genre stereotype, but it has enough positives to be enjoyed by fans of these sorts of films.

The movie follows Peter Weller who plays an attorney tasked with defending a crack dealer who shot a corrupt police officer in self defense. He goes to his friend in the NYPD, played by Sam Elliot, to unravel a deep web of conspiracy and corruption within the NYPD. In the meantime, Weller is caught in a love triangle between his fiancé and ex-girlfriend.

Weller does a decent job as well as Sam Elliot, but the star of the movie was 1980s New York City. It's decadent and gritty landscape make for some great atmosphere and over-the-top action involving hit men, drug dealers, and one of the most beautiful Porsche 930 Turbos you would ever lay eyes on. Action sequences, when they occur, are thrilling and fun.

Alas, the love-triangle scenes keep the sequences spaced out, so things can seem kind of slow. Those scenes really feel more like padding rather than essential to the plot. Still, it's a movie I enjoy watching time and time again. I know the gentrification of New York by Giuliani in the 90s made it cleaner and safer, but it also stripped the soul of 70s and 80s New York and turned it into a lifeless shell of a city you can find just about anywhere else in the US. It's always nice to see old school NYC encapsulated whenever possible.

All in all, I love this movie. No, it's not the most deep or meaningful movie, and the supporting actors turn out some pretty cheesy moments (like a group of cops circling around Weller and then just walking away), but the dark and gritty atmosphere gives it life and is a fun movie to just sit back and relax to.

It's an enjoyable action flick overall. However it's also a buddy comedy and a courtroom drama quickly whisked together and served in one massive high protein shake. And that's its biggest downfall. Don't get me wrong I deeply enjoy the mindless entertainment of 80s "tough policemen" movies but the usual straightforwardness of a Schwarzenegger or a Stallone is lost here. An amazing cast (Sam Elliott, Peter Weller and Patricia Charbonneau) which would have done really well in any high budget Hollywood production, gets involved in all kinds of extravagant and adrenalin inducing events while distilling great acting throughout and keeping up with the highly energetic pace set by director James Glickenhaus. Not cohesive but if you're a fan of Lethal Weapon, 48 hrs or Tango and Cash it will serve you well.

Oh how I love a Glickenhaus flick, good or bad. He's like the Brian Trenchard Smith of America. Here, he excels again with another addictive flick. A black ex con, has been set up for the killing of a drug dealer, by a bad apple cop- a blue jean cop, though I really didn't stop to note it's meaning as I too wrapped up in the film, to really care. Slick lawyer (Weller) who's just such a watchable actor, teams up with a reckless aging cop (Elliott) who lives basically out of a cinema, to shut this bad cop down, where Elliott does his thing out there on the streets and Weller does his slick show in a courtroom, where these two contrasts blend well. Rebellious Elliott provides some of the electric thrills, if sending a roller coaster train, hurtling over the edge, or hanging off a lear jet forcing it back down, where it explodes immediately on landing. These are memorable moments, especially the jet one. Glickenhaus has a flair for action, and stunts, producing great addictive popcorn flicks, like Mark L Lester who indeed who's made his share. It's Weller's presence, that adds half the magic to the film, that came and went at the cinema, on about the same time as Elliott's other film, the Swayze, actioner, Roadhouse. Of course people will frown upon it, where others will find it forgettable. It's a pity, as this low key, 89 action pic, is one of those that deserves more attention, where Elliott's character should draw more attention to his hygiene.

Director James Glickenhaus (The Soldiers, The Exterminator, McBain) has composed a reasonably well constructed thriller with the usual spectacular action sequences and an interesting plot. This time though, the strong performances from the lead stars help propel Shakedown above the usual mundane low budget films. Peter Weller (Robocop, Screamers) is excellent as Roland Dalton, a frustrated attorney who must help defend a troubled youth who has been accused of murdering a police officer. However, there is more to the scene of the crime than meets the eye...

Sam Elliot (Road House) is grand as Richie Marks, a rogue police officer who is always at the wrong place at the right time. Marks and Dalton happen to form a "buddy-buddy" type bonding, and their investigation eventually leads knee deep into a conspiracy of corruption, deceit, and murder...

Shakedown is a decent action flick with an intriguing plot with enthralling plot twists and top notch action sequences. The fist fight aboard a moving roller coaster is a highlight and the extended vehicle chase through the streets of Manhattan is another highlight.

What makes Shakedown an exceptional thriller though, is the three dimensional performances. Peter Weller is definitely the performer worth watching in Shakedown. His convincing portrayal as a tough lawyer adds an extra depth of integrity to an otherwise standard "kill or be killed" actioner. Sam Elliot has his moments too as a cynical renegade cop who helps Weller expose corruption in the police department.

Shakedown is worth watching just for the high caliber performances from both Weller and Elliot. The action scenes are worthwhile as well. The only setback though is these action sequences are used a little too sparesly. The lack of a breathtaking pace destroys an almost superior thriller. Otherwise, Shakedown is an adequate film. This movie would benefit greatly with a faster pace, but the acting from stars Weller and Elliot make Shakedown a film worth a look.

RATING: **1/2 out of ****.