To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

Hmm...this would have been perfect for my Salute to Bad Cops!

Synopsis: It's chic! It's hip! It's the epitome of 1980s Miami Vice-style cool! It's... set almost entirely in: grubby office buildings, dingy apartments, junkyards, warehouses, the local prison, freeway underpasses and gang territory. Oh, and the heroes wear crappy clothes and drive domestic clunkers.  

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: “TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. is the widely acclaimed, exhilarating crime action-adventure of a U.S. Secret Service agent tracking his partner’s killer through the underside of Los Angeles.”

What Did I Learn?: "The cheque is in the mail," "I'll love you forever," and "I promise not to cum in your mouth," are all commonly-told lies.

You Might Like This Movie If: You always liked the music in this tacky commercial.

Really?: 1) Hmm... funny how this movie takes place from late December to late January, and yet there’s never any mention of either Christmas or New Year’s Eve. 2) So wait...Masters knows that Chance and Vukovich are cops, and yet he goes through with the deal, anyway? WTF? 3) And on a related note, why would Vukovich seek out legal advice regarding his own illegal activities from Masters' lawyer? Is he the only attorney he knows? 4) I have to wonder: how exactly would Chance explain to his boss that Masters agreed to the deal, even though no buy money was ever approved? 5) See "Synopsis".

Rating: To Live and Die in L.A. was one of my favourite films when I was younger, and it's still a fun little thriller that features both an incredibly exciting car chase and a kick-ass soundtrack from Wang Chung (City of the Angels and To Live and Die in L.A. are amazing tunes, while Wait  makes even the closing credits worth watching). Admittedly, the script could have used a bit of tightening-up (see "Really?"), which is why I can't give this film a perfect score, but it's still highly recommended. 9/10 stars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090180/?ref_=sr_1