Best Seller (1987)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

John Flynn

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

25 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A hired assassin. A cop turned author. Together they're rewriting the rulebook on the Mob.

Plot:

Hit man Cleve approaches writer/cop Dennis about a story for his next book: How Cleve made a living...

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | 1970s | Father Daughter Relationship | Police | Road

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

James Woods	...	Cleve
Brian Dennehy	...	Dennis Meechum
Victoria Tennant	...	Roberta Gillian
Allison Balson	...	Holly Meechum
Paul Shenar	...	David Madlock
George Coe	...	Graham
Anne Pitoniak	...	Mrs. Foster
Mary Carver	...	Cleve's mother
Sully Boyar	...	Monks
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Annie
Charles Tyner	...	Cleve's Father (as Harold Tyner)
E. Brian Dean	...	Taxi Driver
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Pearlman
Edward Blackoff	...	Thorn
Branscombe Richmond	...	Longshoreman #1

Runtime:

110 min | UK:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #28242) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: While the robbery at the beginning of the movie was set in 1972, the robbers are driving a 1975-1978 Ford Econoline van.

Quotes:

Cleve: Anybody can kill anybody, even the President, remember?

Soundtrack:

REVERIE

An unlikely buddy film that works.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable B movie that came and went quickly from the big screen back in the late 80's. I happened to catch it then--and now own it in my movie collection.

Woods plays Cleve, a brilliant and perhaps psychotic former hit-man, who wants Dennis, a cop turned author (Brian Dennehy), to write his story. He also wants to expose his former employers. Cleve ensures Dennis that the book will be a "Best Seller" and begins taking Dennis on a lurid tour of his former hits.

Like most films, this doesn't transfer quite as well onto the small screen, but it is still well worth the viewing; (plus you get to hear James Woods warble a tune in French). Actually, Woods is way cool in this film, and delivers some of his most compelling work ever. Brian Dennehy pulls off the tough task of making the writer character equally interesting and compelling. An unlikely buddy film that has plenty of action, makes you care, and quite simply--works.