Out of Bounds

A pretty silly film, "Out of Bounds" begins as a teeny-bopper

style of movie that would suit John Hughes' tastes, and ends

like how a Charles Bronson vigilante film would be. Anthony

Michael Hall plays Darryl Cage, an Iowa teen who travels to L.A.

to visit his brother, only to have his duffel bag accidentally

switched with a bag belonging to a dope runner. What follows is

a frantic yet unbelievable streets of the city of angels. Hall

is a likeable actor (in my book, he's a lot cooler than Leo

DiCaprio!), but I wasn't used to seeing him in a gritty action

film like this. He's too much of a pretty boy to look ind

Predictable '80s actioner. Everything is set up as if it's underlined. We see Anthony Michael Hall practicing with his knife, so we know it'll come into play. Jeff Kober is good as the guy pursuing Hall. HIS motivations and actions are the only ones that make any sense, and he's the bad guy! Somebody gave me the video as a birthday present because I'm a huge Kober fan. If you are too, go watch AUTOMATIC (1994) or your box set of KINDRED instead.

Anthony Michael Hall is way Out of Bounds on a trip to Los Angeles. Fresh off the farm from Iowa, he picks up Jeff Kober's travel bag by mistake. Kober gets Hall's change of wardrobe and Hall gets over a million dollars in heroin.

I don't think Jeff Kober has ever played a good guy in any of the films or television shows I've ever seen him in. He's succeeded Lyle Bettger in playing a lovely variety psychotics and in this case he's one psychotic drug dealer looking for his stash.

Kober murders Hall's brother and his wife who Hall was staying with when he learns where he's staying and to top it all off, LAPD detective Glynn Turman is thinking Hall did the deed. Some trigger happy cops nearly kill Hall and he's off and running looking for the only other person he knows in Los Angeles, a waitress played by Jenny Wright who he met on the plane out from Iowa.

Farm boy Hall is in one hostile environment as he tries desperately to survive and clear himself.

Anthony Michael Hall was still in his brat pack period when he did Out of Bounds. He portrays the resourceful, but vulnerable Iowa kid very well.

But the acting honors of this film go to Jeff Kober. A really unsung and underrated performer, Kober always delivers the goods when he's a bad guy. In fact one day I'd like to see try doing comedy for a change.

Till then Kober will keep you on the edge of your seat when you watch him in Out of Bounds.

I'll make this short and sweet (well, at least short...)

Good, fun Crime/Thriller. Teen actor Anthony Michael Hall actually did a pretty good job in his role. Interesting casting since he just finished a couple of Classic John Hughes films ('BREAKFAST CLUB' & 'SIXTEEN CANDLES' to name 2) But, all 'n all I think he did a decent job. I personally thought that his performance was just a TAD underplayed; I think being an 'Iowa Farmboy' suddenly dropped in L. A. and found in the situation (and personal loss) that he did, I really think that he would have reacted with a tad more emotion than he did, but it worked okay. The lead girl was decent. But, it wasn't really the acting that stood out in this film. It really was more the story and the way the director kept the pace moving briskly.

Like I mentioned in my title, if you are so inclined, the soundtrack, done by the Police's Stewart Copeland, along with some great songs of the time I thought really added to the enjoyment and pacing of the story. It was cool to see ol' Siouxsie Sioux and her group, along with a lot of other great songs.

Just ONE thing, if I may... Not giving anything away, but the cop was a total, and I mean a TOTAL D*CK! Geez... Personally, I think that the story would have been much better served if that character had been played in a smoother, cooler, more appealing way, like many cops in these kinds of films. Somewhat understanding and sympathetic, but still having to do their 'Duty' But, THIS guy was just a complete D*CK! Period. Had a chip on his shoulder about 2 blocks long. Just plain stupid in my lowly and wretched opinion, and quite honestly detracted from what otherwise could have been a very appealing role. No... Just pure D*CK 😊 Sorry, this guy really annoyed me. Or, I guess I should say, that the way the director had him portray the character was really lame.

But, with that one minor proviso, I thought it was a fun, entertaining movie that kept the tension going really well and therefore held the audience's attention while providing an entertaining backdrop for the story in various cool locations and clubs. Not to mention, some nice car chases and shootouts. The bad guy was of course played to perfection as that actor usually does with these kinds of roles.

So, yeah, I would say if you enjoy a straight forward mid-level Crime/Thriller with a youthful vibe and soundtrack of the time, then you might find this movie entertaining...

Anthony Michael Hall leaves the farm to visit his brother in Los Angeles; his parents are going through a bust-up. When he gets off the plane, he picks up the wrong bag, one full of drugs. When he wakes in the morning, he finds his brother and sister-in-law dead and im on the run. His only help is Jenny Wright, a woman he met on the plane, and who came on to him.

There are some nice bits of writing here, simple solutions to obvious problems. Why doesn't he call his parents? Because his father is traveling and his mother is visiting in Kansas..... and he wrote down the wrong phone number! But while Hall, who was trying to break out his his 'nerdy teen' phase, is very good in the early scenes as an unsure farmboy, after one day in the city he moves through a punk club with an air of assurance. In addition, there's little to interrupt the increasing level of apprehension throughout. A few breaks, a la Hitchcock, would have been nice.

Miss Wright has a far more nuanced and interesting performance to give that would seem to foretell a longer career. Alas, a dozen years later, she made her last film. It's mildly surprising. She's what makes this movie watchable.