The Last Boy Scout
THE LAST BOY SCOUT (18)
D: Tony Scott
Warner Bros./Geffen (Joel Silver & Michael
Levy)
US 1991
105 mins
Action/Thriller
W: Shane Black
DP: Ward Russell
Ed: Mark Goldblatt & Mark Helfrich
Mus: Michael Kamen
Bruce Willis (Joe Hallenbeck), Damon Wayans (Jimmy Dix),
Chelsea Field (Sarah Hallenbeck), Noble Willingham (Sheldon Marcone), Taylor Negron (Milo), Danielle Harris (Darian Hallenbeck), Halle Berry (Cory)
Action-scribe Shane Black received a huge sum of cash
(reportedly $1.75m) for this screenplay, which practically utilises the same formula from his Lethal Weapon script of having mismatched partners, this time involving a detective and an
ex-professional football player, embroiled in a plot involving sports gambling and corruption.
Bruce Willis, in one of his very best action performances, is
given a library of witty retorts, quips and one-liners which sets this apart from your regular shoot-'em-up action nonsense. Damon Wayans as the sidekick does okay, but it's difficult to elicit
sympathy for his jealous, drug-abusing character during the early exchanges between the duo, although he does redeem himself further into the movie. Keep an eye out for Halle Berry in a very
early role.
7/10
