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To Live and Die in L.A.
1985 116 min United States of America R 12+
★7.5
Crime, Thriller, Action
Director: William Friedkin
🎭 Based on
«To Live and Die in L.A.»
byGerald Petievich
Trailers
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Description
When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters.
Budget:
$6M
US Gross:
$17.31M
Worldwide:
$17.31M
Starring
William Petersen
Actor
Willem Dafoe
Actor
John Pankow
Actor
Awards
3 wins & 1 nomination total
Key opinion
To Live and Die in L.A. is widely regarded as a cynical, high-stakes neo-noir that eschews typical Hollywood tropes in favor of moral ambiguity and grit. While its realistic action sequences and strong performances are frequently lauded, some viewers find the plot cold and the visual presentation polarizing.
| Direction | The film features visceral, high-stakes car chases that successfully rival the legendary sequences in The French Connection. | |
| Acting | William Petersen and Willem Dafoe deliver compelling, career-defining performances that anchor the intense, cat-and-mouse dynamic of the film. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay deliberately rejects traditional moral resolutions and happy endings, offering a dark, pragmatic take on the revenge subgenre. | |
| Cinematography | Opinions on the cinematography are sharply divided; supporters praise the authentic, gritty depiction of an oppressive Los Angeles, while detractors argue the visual style feels cheap and lacks atmospheric flair. | |
| Score | The synth-heavy soundtrack is polarizing, with some viewing it as an iconic, essential component of the 1980s atmosphere and others finding it archaic or irritating. |