To Live and Die in L.A.

To Live and Die in L.A.
(1985) [Trailer]
Director: William Friedkin (IMDB)

I'm not sure which one of my friends recommended this movie to me or if I heard about it on the movie podcast I listen to, but whoever it was...THANK YOU! This movie was the shit and I'll tell you why right now.

A federal agent in L.A. gets more than he bargained for when he starts hunting down a counterfeiter who's responsible for killing his partner.

Log into amazon.com, check.
Search 'To Live and Die in L.A.', check.
Click on blu-ray of said movie, check.
Add to wishlist, check.
Those were the steps made by me after viewing William Friedkin's To Live and Die in L.A. tonight.

This movie is very gritty and has a certain feel to it that I can't really match to another film. Maybe if Drive, Beverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Donnie Brasco, and Miami Vice all had an orgy together, but even those titles aren't really too similar to this film. There's so many cool scenes in this, especially the money counterfeiting montage and after watching it you'll be able to starting printing your own $20's. The car chase scene is pretty incredible as well and I'd say probably the best one I've ever witnessed in cinema. William Dafoe's villainous role is perfect and John Turturro is rad, but there are some flaws occasionally with some of the other actors, nothing to earth shattering though. The score was done by Wang Chung and is definitely dated, but part of me actually kind of liked it. I'm very glad I got to peep this bad boy out and you stop sleeping on it and do the same.

Edit: (6/24 - Rewatch. This movie is a solid 5 star in my book. Just watched it in glorious blu and it's even better.)