IMDb RATING
6.0/10
50K
YOUR RATING
An old flame discovers her ex-boyfriend from the past is a relocated FBI informant out to stop the bad guys.An old flame discovers her ex-boyfriend from the past is a relocated FBI informant out to stop the bad guys.An old flame discovers her ex-boyfriend from the past is a relocated FBI informant out to stop the bad guys.
Ken Camroux-Taylor
- Neff
- (as Ken Camroux)
Featured reviews
Back to the eighties. This movie was burned down to the ground by all the critics who despised it. It is flat out silly and cheap, but the masses loved it anyway. Why?
The good nr 1 Terrific actor's chemistry between Goldy Hawn and Mel Gibson. Fireworks are going off. Yes, it's over the top, in your face, silly acting, but there is always a joke around the corner and there is always a great budding romantic attraction that lifts up this movie.
The good nr 2 Ladies, you get to see Mel Gibson's (hairy) b*tt. In close up. With a needle sticking in it and two ladies having a catfight over Mel when he has a needle in his b*tt.
The good nr 3 It's big Hollywood mindless entertainment and it's really good at that.
Any bad? If you dont like big cliche Hollywood comedy blockbusters, then better pass this one by.
But I say let's celebrate the eighties! Have a popcorn and a coke, watch it with family and friends and have a good time!
The good nr 1 Terrific actor's chemistry between Goldy Hawn and Mel Gibson. Fireworks are going off. Yes, it's over the top, in your face, silly acting, but there is always a joke around the corner and there is always a great budding romantic attraction that lifts up this movie.
The good nr 2 Ladies, you get to see Mel Gibson's (hairy) b*tt. In close up. With a needle sticking in it and two ladies having a catfight over Mel when he has a needle in his b*tt.
The good nr 3 It's big Hollywood mindless entertainment and it's really good at that.
Any bad? If you dont like big cliche Hollywood comedy blockbusters, then better pass this one by.
But I say let's celebrate the eighties! Have a popcorn and a coke, watch it with family and friends and have a good time!
I've watched "Bird on a Wire" ever since my age was a one-digit number. The plot focuses on a man in the witness protection program (Mel Gibson) who is being pursued by the criminal that he put away (David Carradine). He teams up with an old flame (Goldie Hawn) and the two go on an action-filled road trip, ending in a climactic battle in a zoo.
This has got to be one of the funniest, coolest, and most exciting action movies I've ever seen. I recommend it to anyone who knows that EVERY SINGLE action movie doesn't have to have perfect plot or perfect acting.
Great action, 7/10.
This has got to be one of the funniest, coolest, and most exciting action movies I've ever seen. I recommend it to anyone who knows that EVERY SINGLE action movie doesn't have to have perfect plot or perfect acting.
Great action, 7/10.
Unbelievably enough then I have actually only seen the 1990 action comedy "Bird on a Wire" twice. I remember watching it once as a teenager, and then having the opportunity to sit down and watch it again in 2022.
Writers Louis Venosta, Eric Lerner and David Seltzer did manage to put together a genuinely entertaining and enjoyable storyline, as the story has a good amount of action and good comedy to it. I have to admit that I was genuinely entertained by "Bird on a Wire" from start to end.
And of course with the likes of Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn in the leading roles, of course you are in for a good time. And teaming up Gibson and Hawn was just brilliant, and looking back at it now in 2022, it definitely had that 1990s feel to it. And it is also what made the movie so good, because Gibson and Hawn were phenomenal together on the screen.
Aside from Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn, then "Bird on a Wire" also had David Carradine, Bill Duke and Stephen Tobolowsky on the cast list, with other familiar faces such as Jeff Corey and Clyde Kusatsu. So you definitely had a good handful of familiar faces on the screen if you have been watching movies and TV during the 1980s and 1990s.
If you haven't already seen "Bird on a Wire", then you should do so, if you get the chance. It is a movie with equal parts action and good pacing, mixed with great comedy and dialogue.
My rating of director John Badham's 1990s movie "Bird on a Wire" lands on a six out of ten stars.
Writers Louis Venosta, Eric Lerner and David Seltzer did manage to put together a genuinely entertaining and enjoyable storyline, as the story has a good amount of action and good comedy to it. I have to admit that I was genuinely entertained by "Bird on a Wire" from start to end.
And of course with the likes of Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn in the leading roles, of course you are in for a good time. And teaming up Gibson and Hawn was just brilliant, and looking back at it now in 2022, it definitely had that 1990s feel to it. And it is also what made the movie so good, because Gibson and Hawn were phenomenal together on the screen.
Aside from Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn, then "Bird on a Wire" also had David Carradine, Bill Duke and Stephen Tobolowsky on the cast list, with other familiar faces such as Jeff Corey and Clyde Kusatsu. So you definitely had a good handful of familiar faces on the screen if you have been watching movies and TV during the 1980s and 1990s.
If you haven't already seen "Bird on a Wire", then you should do so, if you get the chance. It is a movie with equal parts action and good pacing, mixed with great comedy and dialogue.
My rating of director John Badham's 1990s movie "Bird on a Wire" lands on a six out of ten stars.
Rick Jarmin, who in the FBI witness protection program, is working in a Detroit gas station under an assumed name. Things are going well until old flame Marianne Graves pulls up and recognises him. He calls the FBI to get relocated but learns his handler has retired. The replacement promises to help but quickly shows himself to be corrupt as he passes Rick's details to two corrupt ex-DEA agents; one who is still wanted the other who has just finished a fifteen year jail sentence thanks to Rick's testimony. The two men quickly turn up and Rick's boss is killed in the shoot-up; after that Rick ends up on the run with Marianne. There are a series of chases till the fleeing duo confront their chasers in a zoo.
This is a fun action comedy. The story is fairly simply but serves to provide a series of enjoyably chases and action sequences. This includes chases in cars, on motorbikes and in aircraft and action that features shooting, explosions and an impressive final confrontation in a zoo, complete with dangerous animals. The laughs come from amusing situations rather than forced gags for the most part... an early gag where Rick tricks his boss may be a little forced but it is also very funny. Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn have a good chemistry as Rick and Marianne. The villains played by Bill Duke, David Carradine and Stephen Tobolowsky are solid enough but get less screen time than one might expect. Overall this might not be a must see film but it provides sufficient laughs and action to make it worth watching if you want decent, not too extreme, action with plenty of amusing moments.
This is a fun action comedy. The story is fairly simply but serves to provide a series of enjoyably chases and action sequences. This includes chases in cars, on motorbikes and in aircraft and action that features shooting, explosions and an impressive final confrontation in a zoo, complete with dangerous animals. The laughs come from amusing situations rather than forced gags for the most part... an early gag where Rick tricks his boss may be a little forced but it is also very funny. Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn have a good chemistry as Rick and Marianne. The villains played by Bill Duke, David Carradine and Stephen Tobolowsky are solid enough but get less screen time than one might expect. Overall this might not be a must see film but it provides sufficient laughs and action to make it worth watching if you want decent, not too extreme, action with plenty of amusing moments.
Don't pay attention to negative reviews. This movie is really good and I'm sure everyone will enjoy it as much as I did. Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn are a wonderful couple and their performance is excellent. Don't wait any longer ... rent it right now!
Did you know
- TriviaGoldie Hawn did most of her own stunts, after being convinced by Mel Gibson to do so. She was originally reluctant to perform them, fearing the harsh and overwhelming nature of the tasks. She was eventually so pleased with her stunt performances that she kept her stuntman's jacket after filming resumed, and as of 2017 still exhibits it next to her Oscar statuette.
- GoofsWhen Rick and Marianne are escaping across the top of the hotel room, it is only minutes after her early breakfast was delivered at 10 to 7. As they crawl across the framework on the hotel roof, a clock in the background is showing around 07:30. When Rick falls and clambers back up, less than a minute later the clock is showing nearer 08:00
- Quotes
Rick Jarmin: I haven't had a girlfriend for 5 years.
Marianne Graves: Really?
Rick: Yeah - Mr. Wiggly's been on bread and water for 5 long years.
- Crazy creditsCredits scroll down instead of up
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: You Blew It! (1990)
- SoundtracksBird On A Wire
Written by Leonard Cohen
Produced and Arranged by David A. Stewart
Performed by The The Neville Brothers
Courtesy of A&M Records
- How long is Bird on a Wire?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $20,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $70,978,012
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $15,338,160
- May 20, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $138,697,012
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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