Against All Odds (1984)

Not aging well

Twenty-five years ago, this thing was a hit, I guess. It's fun to see the 35 yr old Jeff Bridges pretend to be a football player and the crazed James Woods acting crazed, even way back then. Rachel Ward has a very bad case of 80s hair. What was she thinking? The plot is some silliness about football, betting, corruption and star-crossed lovers in Cozumel and LA. You're rewarded with the theme song by Phil Collins. Now, I know what the song is about, but it's still lame. July 28, 2008

worth watching

This is an outstanding movie, especially if someone has ever broken your heart. The music is fantasic,Phil Collins. Sit and watch it... you won't be disappointed especially if you are a romatintic. Take achance,you won't be sorry--Bo January 8, 2008

Too Hot to Handle

Expert opinion says that since the advent of color film, a good contemporary noir film is an L.A. noir film; that seems to be largely so, except then you've got "Body Heat," set in Florida. Be that as it may, "Against All Odds" is an LA noir film: it profits from the unique atmosphere of Los Angeles, the sinister corruption behind the sunny smile; the reality of arid desert behind the wastefully-watered green lawn. And most particularly, the parched, penned-up ill-respected Los Angeles River that features in Roman Polansky's mythic "Chinatown, and "in "The Narrows," one of Michael Connelly's recent books. The river also, of course, features in that well-known teenage film noir,"Grease," in which John Travolta and his all-singing, all-dancing fool friends stage their drag race in the river's concreted bed, graced by only the merest trickle of water. The Los Angeles River: Ignored until it rampages.

"Against All Odds" is a loose 1980's remake of Robert Mitchum's film noir, "Out of the Past." Jane Greer. femme fatale of the earlier film, plays mother to Rachel Ward, this film's femme fatale. Richard Widmark, important player in many earlier films noir, is on hand here too, in a small but critically important part. The plot is set in motion when Jake Wise,(James Woods), well-connected nightclub owner and man of many parts, sets his old friend, used-up former pro football player Terry Brogan (Jeff Bridges), to find and return his runaway girlfriend Jessie Wyler (Rachel Ward), hiding somewhere in Mexico.

For starters, Mexico, Bridges and Ward have never looked hotter, the Ward-Bridges sex scenes are too darn hot, and the seemingly mandatory confusing LA real estate corruption subplot doesn't stop the main story line cold too often. The film was ably directed by Taylor Hackford, and the three principals carry their roles. There's also a flavorful supporting cast: Swoosie Kurtz, Saul Rubinek, Alex Karras, Dorian Harewood. "Against All Odds" is a bit dated, stuck in the '80's, and it's not the greatest noir story ever told, but it offers a lot of visual heat. It also delivers on the emotional heat meter, at least to me: true to noir conventions, nobody gets what they want, surely not Terry Brogan, who realizes, belatedly, that Jessie Wyler is literally too hot for him to handle,and he's going to have to leave her to her rich, powerful mother. Yes, it's been done before, possibly better, but "Against All Odds" stands and delivers on its own, and is worth a look-see. November 7, 2006

Disappointing at best

I can't get over all the glowing reviews of this deeply flawed film I've read here! First off, let me say that Jeff Bridges is one of my absolute all-time favorite actors ("Big Liebowski" and "Fearless" by themselves would make up for a dozen "Against All Odds") but this movie is a serious train wreck! What a waste of good actors and beautiful locations. It is truly poignant to see the highlights of the Yucatan area circa 1983 before that wondrous part of the world became package tour Gringolandia and that alone is almost worth the two hours and two bucks but Good God does this movie nosedive into atrocious absurdity over the last hour or so! I think a couple of more rewrites might have done a world of good as none of the actors involved are bad (George Poppadopalous arguably notwithstanding), the locations are second to none, and the basic storyline had at least a marginal amount of promise. Whatever the case, I suppose that's neither here nor there because this movie turns into a semi-glossy Matlock crapfest once Jeff and Rachel finish steaming up the Mayan stonework. Que pena. The amazing footage of the pyramids and statues of Chichen Itza and the gorgeous turquoise waters of Cozumel and Tulum are definintely worth checking out though if you think you can stomach the ham handed TV movie way in which the last half of this film unfolds. July 13, 2006

I Loved This Film!

What do you get when you combine Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods, Richard Widmark, and Jane Greer? The VERY best of the old and the new. This movie was a classy remake of "Out of the Past" which was made sometime in the 1950's.

Rachel Ward plays a spoiled rich girl bent on rebellion much to the consternation of her mother played by Jane Greer. "Jessie" (Rachel Ward) runs away from home and aging football star, Terry Brogan, (Jeff Bridges) is hired to find her by her boyfriend Jake Wise. (James Woods) From there this plot takes off with more twists and turns than I have ever seen in a movie. The triad of Jake, Terry, and Jessie becomes more entangled and complicated in a maze of deadly secrets and lies.

What I loved about this film was the way the director used the plots and subplots to weave together a fantastic and suspenseful drama. Richard Widmark is superb as the corrupt Ben Caxton. The soundtrack is exceptional and the scenery is great. All in all this is a quality film that I loved when it came out in the mid 80's, and still love today. October 21, 2005

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