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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.

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.

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 ****.

From James Glickenhaus, director of "The Exterminator", comes this buddy flick that proves that you don't have to reinvent the wheel in order to make a solid action flick. Its characters are always watchable and its action scenes are expertly done. Glickenhaus's script is on the routine side but his execution helps to make up for that.

Peter Weller plays Roland Dalton, a public defender who takes the case of a drug dealer (Richard Brooks) who shot an undercover cop - but who apparently did it in self defense. Teaming up with a maverick detective played by Sam Elliott, he finds that the case leads to revelations about corruption in the NYC police department.

It's nice to see Weller looking like he's really having fun, and Elliott is likewise quite engaging. Weller strikes some sparks with Patricia Charbonneau, who plays a district attorney who just so happens to be an old girlfriend of Daltons'. It doesn't take long for him to submit to her charms even though he's already engaged to be married (to Gail Feinberger, played by Blanche Baker). Antonio Fargas is smooth as ever as big shot criminal Nicky Carr; Brooks and Larry Joshua are good in their supporting roles. While watching, the viewer can have a busy time playing spot the familiar face: Thomas G. Waites, Shirley Stoler, John C. McGinley, Jude Ciccolella, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Kelly Rutherford, Paul Bartel, James Eckhouse, David Proval, Harold Perrineau, William Prince and Holt McCallany all turn up.

Ultimately, this does get silly, and it doesn't tie up its loose ends well, but it's so well paced, and so undeniably exciting at times, that it sizes up as a good time for action aficionados. Among the highlights are a chase / fight Elliott has with a street thug that finishes nicely with a runaway roller coaster moment. It's also good for a look at 42nd Street when it was still in its decadent period.

Look for a theatre marquee displaying "Fatal Beauty", which also featured Elliott; a previous Glickenhaus picture, "The Soldier", can be seen playing on a movie screen.

Seven out of 10.

A pretty fun movie to watch, a bit silly in parts and ludicrous in others, its a good entertainer.

Sam Elliot smooths his way through the film as usual and Weller, though good, is a little Robocop with some of his emotions.

Has all the elements you want from this kind of film :)

Another buddy-action movie, but this time it's a lawyer and a cop. Nothing original here, but plenty of action and an interesting plot will keep you watching. Ending was ok, but it could have been much better. Good for watching when you've already seen all the Die Hards and Lethal Weapons. 6 1/2 out of 10. Can you spot the subtle references to other Glickenhaus movies like The Soldier and Exterminator?

In a town where everyone is for sale , they're the best that money can buy . A legal attorney (Peter Weller) and a renegade cop (Sam Elliot) join forces to stop corrupt cops and against street scum . The overworked lawyer and the undercover cop team up but find serious difficulties from other corrupt police inspectors (Thomas G Waites) , a drug lord (Antonio Fargas) , dope dealers , and various street scum . Dalton's life is further complicated by the fact that his girlfriend (Blanche Baker) is pregnant and the prosecuting attorney (Patricia Charbonneau) is a prior lover ; then taking place the classic triangular drama .

This thriller movie contains suspense , noisy action-packed with no much sense , intrigue, and thrills galore . It's a brutal and controversial urban film plenty of car crashes , pursuits , trials , police corruption and many other things . Sam Elliot with his usual stoic acting displays efficiently his weapon , Magnum 44 , such as ¨Harry the Dirty¨ and killing mercilessly nasties . It's certainly exciting , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time, as the spectators were clearly on the Sam Elliott side . The movie provides fast and furious entertainment and action with no sense developing with agility , fast paced and movement . This thrilling story looks increasingly passionless and mechanical , though violence sometimes seems to be considered excessive . Nice acting by Sam Elliot as a renegade loner NYPD narcotics agent and Peter Weller as an obstinate advocate at law . Furthermore, it appears a great secondary cast full of known faces with brief interventions , such as Thomas G Waites , Paul Bartel as Night Court Judge , James Eckhouse , Holt McCallany , Kelly Rutherford , David Proval ,John Finn , William Prince , Harold Perrineau ,Shirley Stoler and John C. McGinley . Mediocre cinematography by John Lindley , though he subsequently photographed Field of dreams , You've a e-m@il (1998) , Pleasantville , Mr Brooks and other hits . Screeching and pulsing musical score by Jonathan Elias .

This moving motion picture in low budget was middlingly directed by James Glickenhaus , being born in New York City where he usually shoots his movies . Glickenhaus served as the chairman for the film company SGE Entertainment from 1987 to 1995; this company specialized in both making and distributing low-budget independent straight-to-video fare. He's an expert on violent action movies and so-so films as proved in ¨McBain¨, ¨The soldier¨ and this ¨Shakedown¨ . He's also directed a Jacke Chan vehicle titled ¨The protector¨ , the eerie thriller "Slaughter of the Innocents," and the attractive sci-fi romp "Timemaster¨ and of course the extremely violent , low-budgeted and successful 1980 movie , ¨The exterminator¨ , a cruel Vigilante drama . And James was the executive producer for the movies "Maniac Cop," "Frankenhooker," both "Basket Case" sequels, "Ring of Steel," and "Tough and Deadly" . Rating : Average , 5,5/10 but entertaining .

"Shakedown" seems to fancy itself a buddy movie even though its public defender and police officer heroes work separately for most of it. And it dances between courtroom drama and cop action movie (with an emphasis on eyebrow-raising stunts), so tonally it's kind of all over the place.

Yet, in the grand scheme of things, that ends up working for this movie because I liked the two leads. Peter Weller's legal angst, the overall '80s-ness and all of the macho dialogue come together into an entertaining movie. And it's a New York that you can almost feel, from the fashionable end to the Times Square cesspool.

7/10

Completely contrived police corruption plot but Sam Elliott and Peter Weller do the best that could be expected under the circumstances. This almost seems like the roller coaster scene and the plane finale were thought up, and then connected somehow with the cartoon like script. Character development beyond Elliott and Weller is sketchy. The entire cops on the drug dealers payroll scenario is exploited way beyond what might make sense. The night shots on 42nd street are terrific, but you simply cannot take "Shakedown" seriously, and with each passing scene things deteriorate as believability flies out the window. The movie has some entertainment value, but do not expect much beyond stunt work and crashes. - MERK

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.

A previous reviewer of this movie on imdb commented on how the solemn nature of the dramatic scenes detracted from the high octane action scenes in 'Shakedown' a.k.a blue jean cop. I believe the opposite to be true and cringed whenever the absorbing and gritty dramatic scenes gave way to silly, sub rambo action setpieces. Without the aforementioned flights of fancy (pun intended), 'Shakedown' could have an been an edgy cult favourite,along the lines of Sidney lumet's 'prince of the city' or Abel ferrara's 'king of new york'. instead, James glickenhaus's movie ultimately resembles nothing more than a run of the mill,late 80's, straight to video action flick albeit one with a interesting premise and tons of unfulfilled potential. Shame.

Since its theatrical release, "Shakedown" has all but been forgotten by the public. Having just watched it again after more than twenty five years since I first saw it, I think I know why it has faded into obscurity. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible movie. For starters, it looks great, with expert cinematography and lighting despite being made with a somewhat conservative budget. And director James Glickenhaus, like in his other movies, definitely shows he can direct action - the action scenes in this movie are very well done.

But a closer look at the movie soon reveals some big flaws. While Sam Elliot shows his trademark weary charm and makes his character appealing, his co-star Peter Weller doesn't fare so well. Weller is kind of stiff, maybe because his character is eventually made to be not so likable despite being in a lead protagonist position. The screenplay (also by Glickenhaus) is also kind of a mess, with important characters disappearing for long periods of time, as well as the central story moving extremely slowly (or not at all) for equally long periods of time.

Is the movie worth seeing? In some circumstances, yes. If you actively seek it out and/or pay good money to see it, chances are you'll be disappointed. But if it crosses your path during a slow day for free, you'll probably find it helps pass the time in an acceptable manner.

Hey! It's Robocop versus Huggy Bear, with Sam Elliot backing Peter Weller up. When a dodgy undercover cop tries to rob and kill a crack dealer and ends up getting ventilated, it's up to legal aid guy Peter Weller to get him freed. He's got many problems, however. The dodgy cop has loads of equally dodgy bad cop mates willing to cover up for him, and the prosecution lawyer type person is his ex-girlfriend. And he's engaged to be married to a woman who doesn't like Jimi Hendrix! What's a Robocop turned robo lawyer to do? Luckily, he's got Sam Elliot, a straight cop, on his side. Between them, they're going to clean up New York City of all crooked cops and crack dealers (with the exception of the crack dealer Weller's trying to free from prison).

This film is kind of all over the place, what with Weller's marital problems and those bad cops breathing down his neck. He's also got Huggy Bear (Night of the Sharks) trying to set both him and Ellot up to be killed, which leads to all sorts of action sequences that so increasingly ridiculous you'll be wondering which one to pick as the daftest moment in the film. Sam Elliott jumping from a fourth floor window onto a bus? Elliot having a punch up on a roller-coaster? Or how about Elliott attacking an aeroplane by jumping onto it's front wheel and shooting wildly while dangling in the air? That part was pretty stupid, and looked a bit rushed too, as if they were trying to keep the running time down a bit.

That said, it's moments like those above that keep the film going, or else we'd be bogged down in legal procedure and Weller cheating on his fiancé. Weller and Elliott are both pretty good leads so that helps too.

Also starring John C McGinley of "every film made from 1986-1990" fame

"Shakedown" is an over-the-top action movie. I don't know which scene is the most ridiculous. But despite all of the silliness, it's quite watchable. It's not a campy movie (at least I don't watch it that way). It's just a lot of fun. Peter Weller and Sam Elliot make a great team. The villains are caricatures but they are all played well. The stunt work is terrific. The only real negative in "Shakedown" is the ending. It's a bit too much. I saw this movie when it first came out at Douglaston, NY's Movie World. I liked it then and I still like it now.

The story is goofy but enjoyable and also disjointed. Weller is a legal aid lawyer about to sell out to Wall Street because he is marrying money, and Elliott is an honest cop living in a theater who is estranged from his wife. Weller and Elliott know each other - they are friends with a history, it seems - but why that is the case is never explained. They actually have good chemistry together. Weller catches a case where his client is innocent of murdering a cop; the client is a drug dealer who shot the dishonest cop in self- defense. Elliott works with the same band of dishonest cops that this cop belonged to. Somehow these cops are involved with a gangster - an African-American hip gangster because it is the '80s - who they initially raid but later they work with for no reason that is ever explained. When action is required, the bad guys open fire on innocent bystanders and explosions ensue with no concern for the safety of anyone.

The story line is disjointed. There are leaps of story-telling, e.g., why does Weller think it is such a brilliant idea to break into the police headquarters rather than asking Elliott to get the evidence? Who knows, it just happens. And how does ripping some wires off the back of a roller coaster cause it to jump the tracks? Again, stuff just happens. Peter Weller delivers a great role as a lawyer defending a young black drug dealer who was attacked by an off duty police officer because of the kids skin color. Shows a twist of corrupt cops and racism at it finest.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

(1988) Shakedown ACTION/ CRIME DRAMA/ COMEDY

After the partner movies took off because of the "Lethal Weapon" films, more copycats kept coming out including this one in which never-before-seen action sequences is built around an forgettable story line and unfunny comedy sequences. Co-written and directed by James Glickenhaus starring Peter Weller as the lawyer, Roland Dalton exposing dirty cops, and Sam Elliot as the hard nosed cop, Richie Marks. The plot device of this film is like seeing a lot of other films except that the only thing this film has as opposed to the other ones are the innovative action scenes.

I enjoyed the movie. Good entertainment. Especially enjoyed the live action stunts in a movieworld obsessed with sickening unrealistic comp-gen action scenes. If I want to watch animated action I turn on the Bugs&Daffy Show. Anyhow, my favorite part is the "DSAF" lecture. Seems there's alot of dsaf candidates wandering around out there these days...

Always respected Ebert's perspectives greatly, whilst not always agreeing, but boy oh boy, he was generous to a fault with James Glickenhaus's Shakedown/ Blue Jean Cop. To describe it as a (very) poor man's Lethal Weapon is probably paying it a compliment. Lethal Weapon has Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Richard Donner directing from a very coherent Shane Black script. Shakedown has Sam Elliot (always an asset), Peter Weller (arguably miscast in the central role) and the big difference, Glickenhaus directing from his own script* (* and doesn't it show).

Let's deal with the positives first. As mentioned it has Elliot as the second lead, who never fails to have a compelling presence. It also has a pretty solid support cast. For instance John C McGinley, coming from Oliver Stones's Platoon where he shone, shows up in what turns out to be little more than an entertaining cameo. The cinematography, particularly of the many New York locations is first class (no jerky cam here). And there is a reasonable soundtrack happening, which serves to enhance the onscreen action. Weller in my opinion is kind of marginal. I didn't mind him in the (surprisingly plentiful) courtroom scenes, which coincidentally I thought were the best part of the movie. But overall, I just got the sense he never really fully committed to his role as Dalton, a jaded legal aid defender, who teams with a veteran cop (Elliot) to find out the truth in a possible police corruption scandal.

My main issue with Shakedown is Glickenhaus's script and the way he has constructed the movie around it. This is one hell of a garbled, disconnected picture, where you just straight out are expected to believe the unbelievable. Elliot's Richie Marks is a loner NYPD narcotics agent who besides seemingly living as some sort of vagrant (in a fleapit of a working cinema??), operates out of a police station, where virtually all his fellow cops it seems are dirty. Do we ever actually find out how Dalton and Marks have a working relationship? No! It just appears pre - ordained. Dalton's sub - story involving fiancee/girlfriend clashes just seems to belong to a different sort of film. The regular staging of action scenes appear to be totally contrived, are not particularly well choreographed and don't always seem to integrate into the ongoing narrative. A case in point ... and there are plenty, believe me. The hit men/muggers (lol! Who were they?) who tried to rub out/mug Marks in plain sight at Coney Island or wherever, when he was fishing (??). The total lack of security apparently at Le Guardia airport, where anybody it seems can drive on in and onto the tarmac and what happens thereafter, where Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commando movie appears to have provided much inspiration.

I could go on, but I'm sure you grasp the idea. Shakedown has the seed of a half way decent film, that wasn't allowed to grow into something substantial. It's a routine 80's action vehicle, in which the plot is forced to provide for some completely absurd stunts and set pieces, which is the primary reason the whole film ends up being unremarkable. It could have and should have been so much better.

There's a weird tonal shift in this movie where the Peter Weller stuff is a well done legal thriller about defending a bad man and the Sam Elliot stuff is a totally over the top action movie with crazy stunts, car chases and shoot outs. But you know what? In a crazy way it works! With a balls out insane ending that makes no sense whatsoever I had a lot of fun. It was very competently made and acted and is well worth tracking down.

So yeah the plot is not original but it is told different.

The movie is really a crime thriller but also holds it own with good action sequences.

Of course there is a good deal of one liners and cliches that it how we like it.

I will say the casting is not what I would have done.

However the actors all do there roles very well.

The gunplay is quite good maybe not realistic but fun and flashy.

Honestly that is one area that need not be explored this movie is not at all real.

The one thing I really like is how it does not hold back.

It has a lot of drug, nudity sex and violence and it neither forces or covers any of it.

So glad I came back and watched this again as an adult.