The Last Boy Scout [1991]

February 18, 2012

The Last Boy Scout is actually one of the last feel-good eighties action movies. You know the ones with those awesome one-liners, silly scripts, and phenomenal characters. It’s right up there with Die Hard, Bad Boys, Tango and Cash, and other classics. You can watch a hundred times and still have a good time. This is not an accident as the script is written by none other than Shane Black of his Lethal Weapon fame. And with Tony Scott (Top Gun, Enemy of the State) at the helm, the result was quite predictable. The only thing I would add to this movie are some female characters.

And one more thing, there’s a lot of dirty language in The Last Boy Scout. It’s nothing like today’s politically correct action movies where everything is so clean and neat, even the jokes. Bruce Willis with Damon Wayans are so funny, each in his own way, and they were the reason why this movie worked so well. Throw in Halle Berry and an evil plot and you got yourself a great movie. It smells of tobacco smoke, cheap whiskey, and testosterone. It smells like a noir movie, only it’s just too damn entertaining to be one.

Joe Hallenbeck is a private detective, alcoholic, and a very cynical person. He’s an ex-cop who started drinking and just not caring about anything. One day he gets a call from his friend about a routine job, a detail for some girl Cory, not knowing where this is going to lead him he accepts the job. Soon, he’s behind some shady nightclub with a gun to his head. However, this is only the beginning of his troubles.

The opening scene of The Last Boy Scout is as memorable as it is authentic. It sets the stage for everything that’s about to follow. All the chase and fight scenes along with snappy dialogue. The characters are fully fleshed-out albeit a bit stereotypical. They are built through a series of original and even funny scenes. I mean, we find Joe sleeping in his car after a night of heavy drinking and then some kids throw in a dead squirrel on him! Not only it showed us just how much of a drunk this guy is but the whole scene felt realistic and hilarious. Now imagine this vibe just continuing throughout the movie. I know, I know, you’re already looking where you can watch this nineties masterpiece. It’s available both on Bluray and your favorite streaming service. Just go for it.