Striking Distance (1993)

Director:

Rowdy Herrington

Writers (WGA):

Rowdy Herrington (written by) &
Marty Kaplan (written by)

Release Date:

17 September 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

They shouldn't have put him in the water, if they didn't want him to make waves.

Plot:

Coming from a police family, Tom Hardy ends up fighting his uncle after the murder of his father. Tom believes the killer is another cop...

Plot Keywords:

Bondage | Pittsburgh Pennsylvania | Hitchcockian | Undercover | Police

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 21

6:00 PM

AMC

Cast

Bruce Willis	...	Det. Tom Hardy
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Jo Christman
Dennis Farina	...	Capt. Nick Detillo
Tom Sizemore	...	Det. Danny Detillo
Brion James	...	Det. Eddie Eiler
Robert Pastorelli	...	Det. Jimmy Detillo
Timothy Busfield	...	Tony Sacco
John Mahoney	...	Lt. Vince Hardy
Andre Braugher	...	Dist. Atty. Frank Morris
Tom Atkins	...	Sgt. Fred Hardy
Mike Hodge	...	Capt. Penderman, River Rescue Commandant
Jodi Long	...	Officer Kim Lee, River Rescue Dispatcher
Roscoe Orman	...	Sid, Eddie Eiler's Partner
Robert Gould	...	Douglas Kesser
Gareth Williams	...	Chick Chicanis

Also Known As:

Three Rivers (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min | Argentina:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 | South Korea:15 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #31925)

Filming Locations:

Monongahela, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Originally, the lead role was to be played by Ed Harris. It was then rewritten for Robert De Niro and, finally, 'Bruce Willis (I)' .

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tom and his father start to answer the call, the emergency light is put on the right side of the car. Later during the chase the emergency light is on the left side.

Quotes:

Tom Hardy: Why did you change your testimony?
Jo Christman: Why do you think?
Tom Hardy: You cheat good.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Angels' Revenge (#7.22)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

THINGS HAPPEN

Bruce is not at his best here

STRIKING DISTANCE has Bruce Willis playing an alcoholic Pennsylvania river cop, who was busted down from detective two years before over flubbing a serial killer case that ended in the deaths of his father and a cousin, both cops. Sarah Parker joins Willis on his patrol boat, and we're off and running as the elusive serial killer has apparently returned -- or so Bruce thinks. No one else agrees with him, except maybe Parker. The movie has some solid action sequences and several unexpected twists, but it is clearly one of Willis' lesser efforts from the early 1990s. He low-keys it throughout, taking the drinking and depression thing too far. And seeing him in shorts doesn't exactly help, even if they are part of his new uniform. Parker does her best against overwhelming odds, and is joined in her efforts by veteran character players Dennis Farina, Brion James and John Mahoney. The film is just too dour, although it is worth watching for the wholly unnerving "torture room" sequence near the end. One thing it cannot be criticized for is its R-rated violence, which helps keep the movie floating along.