An obsessive, insubordinate homicide cop is convinced a serial killer is loose in the Hollywood area and disobeys orders in order to catch him.
Directed by James B. Harris
daughter
high school
prostitute
rape
based on novel or book
police
sports car
homophobia
psychopath
machinegun
shotgun
cigarette
coffee
pizza
stalker
dysfunctional family
shootout
feminist
police officer killed
dirty cop
officer involved shooting
male prostitution
rogue cop
vulgarity
poetry quote
crime scene
burglary
mercilessness
internal affairs
drug dealing
police corruption
family abandonment
payphone
los angeles, california
machine gun
yearbook
neo-noir
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.4 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
James Woods
Lloyd Hopkins
Lesley Ann Warren
Kathleen McCarthy
Charles Durning
Dutch Peltz
Charles Haid
Delbert W. 'Whitey' Haines
Raymond J. Barry
Captain Frederick W. Gaffney
Randi Brooks
Joanie Pratt
Christopher Wynne
Jack Gibbs
Dennis Stewart
Lawrence D. 'Birdman' Henderson
Annie McEnroe
Amy Cranfield
Jim Wilkey
Watchman
Jordana Capra
Operator's Voice (uncredited)
Crew
James B. Harris
Director
James B. Harris
Screenplay
Michel Colombier
Original Music Composer
James B. Harris
Producer
James Woods
Producer
James Ellroy
Novel
Steve Kelso
Stunts
Pamela Guest
Casting
Lisa McCullough
Stunts
Jeff Cronenweth
First Assistant Camera
Popular Reviews
21 reviews
Sir Steppa
8.0★ · 02/14/26
I might as well go for the whole enchilada
I might as well go for the whole enchilada
Orfalite
7.0★ · 06/26/25
Between the Ellroy and Woods of it all, you do worry it might be serious for a second. But no way…. Right?
Between the Ellroy and Woods of it all, you do worry it might be serious for a second. But no way…. Right?
Blake
7.5★ · 06/07/25
Killer cut to black at the end there. Really slams into you like a train.
Woods of course great at playing an off the rails psycho misogynist cop. Good movie!
Killer cut to black at the end there. Really slams into you like a train.
Woods of course great at playing an off the rails psycho misogynist cop. Good movie!
MechaniChris
5.0★ · 04/21/25
Nasty and mean and way more confident that it nails its ending than it has a right to be. But if you want a movie about a bad cop who sucks as a guy and at his job, then do I have a lazily titled film for you!
Nasty and mean and way more confident that it nails its ending than it has a right to be. But if you want a movie about a bad cop who sucks as a guy and at his job, then do I have a lazily titled film for you!
The
7.0★ · 04/18/25
James Woods’ Tightrope
Aside from giving Woods room to motormouth through scenes, this does light bad cop stuff a little too softly but the central case is pretty gnarly and ticks this up a notch or two. Still easy to see how it got lost in the shuffle but it’s pretty solid.
James Woods’ Tightrope
Aside from giving Woods room to motormouth through scenes, this does light bad cop stuff a little too softly but the central case is pretty gnarly and ticks this up a notch or two. Still easy to see how it got lost in the shuffle but it’s pretty solid.
