Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is a feature to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share. They may not be old, maybe not forgotten, but they are not new. Just fun to share.
Today, we review Bad Boys (No, not the Will Smith Martin Lawrence Action/Comedy)
Genre: Drama
Directed by: Rick Rosenthal
Staring: Sean Penn, Reni Santoni, Clancy Brown, Robert Lee Rush
Released: March 23, 1983
THE GENERAL IDEA
Mick O’Brien (Sean Penn) is a 16-year-old Irish-American hood from Chicago. While most of Mick’s crimes involve snatching purses, vandalism, and getting into brawls, he aspires to bigger and better things, which leads him to attempt ripping off a rival hood, Paco Moreno (Esai Morales). Everything goes wrong: Mick’s partner and best friend Carl (Alan Ruck) is killed, and Mick (while trying to escape the police) accidentally runs over and kills an eight-year-old boy who happens to be Paco’s kid brother. Mick is sent to the Rainford Juvenile Correctional Facility a maximum security rehabilitation facility that is tougher than Mick may be able to deal with.
THE GOOD
This really illustrates exactly why Sean Penn is as respected as an actor as he is today. Even at 23, shortly after he appeared as Spicolli in Fast Times at Ridgemount High, he broke his own typecast and stars in this very serious drama. He is amazing in this movie.
None of the action is candy coated like an action film as it is the emotional core of the characters that are explored. There are no big explosions or slow motion fight scenes here. Everything is gritty real and very effective. Clancy Brown as the tough floor boss is excellent as well. Very believable badass with a shred of vulnerability makes you not only fear him, but somewhat sympathize with him too.
And the inevitable romance is still present even though Mick is separated from his girlfriend (Ally Sheedy) but it is not all harps and dancing on a field of flowers. It is real and subtle. His feelings for her play a role in the movie and she serves the plot without over riding it with a cheesy “I am doing this for a girl” kind of way. Everything Mick does is for himself, and so he can survive in this reform school that is nothing short of a prison.
THE BAD
When Mick first arrives at Rainford, he is still injured from the car crash that resulted in his arrest and his cuts and bruises on his face look so fake it is distracting. They are drawn on, and look ok in distance shots, but there are few of those when he is the star of the film.
OVERALL
A powerhouse preformance by Penn, surprising first role appearances by Allan Ruck and Ally Sheedy (first theatrical appearance for both of them) and some really heartfelt realism make this a must watch film. So often the stereotypes of prison movies focus on gratuitous action and glamourized love affairs from the outside, but this takes a realistic view at what a criminal lifestyle can bring you.
Since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I had a Tv, Rent or Buy scale going on, but it would seem that an overwhelming majority of my picks get a BUY rating.
So with every Forgotten Friday you see from now on, you get to rate your anticipation for yourself!
TV – If you are at least a little curious, catch it if it comes on TV.
Rent – If it is something you have heard of and forgotten, or just remember enjoying this as much as I did once upon a time, go rent it.
Buy – But if you are like me, and you agree with my review you should go buy it. If its featured here, I already have.
