Customer Reviews

Bad Company [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This film has become the whipping boy and scapegoat of manyso-called critics. This effect -- the "let's join in andconform!" effect -- proves that most of these people really don't want thrillers which break the mold and offer something different than the average escapism. They want the same old thing, done with faster cuts, with more melodrama and less intelligence. This isn't the case here. The plot bears some resemblance to "The Day of the Jackal" in that they are both 'clockwork' thrillers: they show the steps and the pieces of their plots, and then construct the plot from these pieces before your eyes. It gives you a character taking an IQ test, then shows you the assignment, then shows each step of completing the assignment and the twists that develop. In doing this, it reinvents the espionage thriller for our modern times. No longer is the battle about ideology (as it is in most espionage films). No longer do the Americans stand for democracy, the Russians for communism, etc. Ideology is gone, and now -- with the spread of 'freedom and democracy' -- the result is that money and sex (temptation, pretty much) are the only things that matter. Spies work for money, taking missions from Americans against their own government. Spies will backstab and double cross if the sex is good. It's all about the bottom line and how I will benefit. Democracy in action. Working with this idea, Mr. Thomas creates dialogue that is on the level with such classics as "The Big Sleep" (a film that is incomprehensible plot-wise -- something that "Bad Company" isn't -- but loved for many of the same reasons that "Bad Company" was panned). Damien Harris's low-key approach keeps a level of violence and tension just below the surface (which is much more interesting than having it all glaringly obvious and on the surface), while Jack N. Green creates a visual atmosphere to match Mr. Harris' approach. The performances from all involved are top notch and match the low-key style that is taken to the material (thus many people slap the film with having bad performances, because they aren't flashy and over-the-top and nobody is dying or has a mental illness). If you boil down all the bad reviews, you'll see that they are angry that a film deals so nonchaltantly with corruption, greed, extortion and violence and is missing the typical huge explosion and over-the-top action overkill of most modern thrillers ... This film doesn't post moral road signs for you and never insults your intelligence. It is a cool, dry, witty thriller that not only is a top entry into the espionage thriller genre, but reinvents it in its own subtle way. And unfortunetly, it's been trashed so much that Touchstone has taken it out of print. Now that's the biggest insult.

Former CIA operatives going rogue to a high paying Private Corporation. They refer to themselves as the 'Toolshed'. Good action, well written and directed. I thoroughly enjoyed this film!

An interesting movie, interesting characters, beautifully filmed.

...forget the overused plot line of cross and doublecross in this 1990's noir like thriller. Watch Barkin and Fishburne do some serious sneering and smirking as the plot gets twisted and contorted and convoluted...Beach and the two gov't agents are so sleezy you can see the greed dripping from their pores. Good movie.

Ellen Barkin was very sexy and stylish in Bad Company at age 39 (when it was filmed between 8/12/1993 and 10/16/1993). I think 39 is a very sexy age of attractive women. A lot of 39-year-old women have sophisticated high-status jobs that pay well. Ellen Barkin is still very sexy today at 56. Most attractive female celebrities retain their nice, sexy looks for years. I love her sexy short hair in the movie. Ellen Barkin is just plain smooth.

I love Ellen Barkin and her crooked smile, Lawrence Fishburne and his impeccable rendition and elocution, Frank Langella and his stature... This is a movie I plan to see over many times more..

One of my favorite movies of all time. Ellen Barkin sizzles in this 90s thriller.

Ellen Barkin steps aside from her easy and cordial performances to become the ruthless business manager of a sub-agency known as "The Tool Shed."

This is the organization where CIA dropouts look for similar type work, and because they are dropouts anything can happen. Nelson Crowe (Laurence Fishburne) has been deeply planted into the Tool Shed to bribe a state supreme court justice to turn the vote for self-serving reasons. He hooks up with Ellen Barkin who wants the firm's president dead. All of this leads to a suicide, an avenging angel and a ruthless confrontation between the Tool Shed and the CIA who have been watching the goings-on for reasons of their own.

"Bad Company" is entertaining, a good movie, just not great--but worth the price.

Loved it. Well thought out, acted, probably very true in the CIA. They literally picked the 'best' actors for their parts. It is a 'Cinema Classic'(don't sleep on this one.) Extremely entertaining with twists and turns. It is easily one of the 10 best movies I have ever seen (including Godfather 1 and 2, Goodfella's, Bronx Tale, Heat, Scarface.) Laurance Fishburn really reminds me of Barack Obama (or how he would probably act given this same situation-'adapt and plan to overcome.') I just want it to come out on Blue Ray.

I enjoyed this film when I first saw it and was glad to see it finally available on DVD. I liked how the Operators were portrayed as behind the scenes manipulators and not the James Bond Action guys that Hollywood loves so much. Working for money as opposed to ideals, the clients are not sympathetic souls but abhorrent heads of business who need someone to keep them from paying the price for their transgressions and will pay well for it. The side plot of Fishburne actually still working for the Agency while acting as a "disgraced agent" looking for employment with the Toolshed was nice. There are no good guys in this film. The Closest thing to one is the girlfriend of David Ogden Stiers whose innocence makes her less hateful than the rest. The mucic score is Tremendous and I wish I could find the soundtrack to this film. Great jazz score that compliments the mood of the film to a "T". A nice depiction of how International Spying crosses over to Industrial Spying...although spying is not what these guys do. Very cool anyway. I would recommend it if you are into more than explosions, hand to hand combat and CGI.