The Last Boy Scout (1991)

Directed by: Tony Scott | 105 minutes | action, thriller, comedy | Actors: Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Chelsea Field, Noble Willingham, Taylor Negron, Danielle Harris, Halle Berry, Bruce McGill, Badja Djola, Kim Coates, Chelcie Ross, Joe Santos, Clarence Felder, Tony Longo, Frank Collison

Private detective and bodyguard Joe Hallenbeck (Bruce Willis) is in trouble. He drinks and works too much, doesn’t have a very good relationship with his daughter and if that’s not bad enough, his wife is also cheating. He’s not happy about that, but it’s really not all that dramatic. Then back to work, although unfortunately it is also a bit against. Disturbed by a violent robbery, he loses sight of the woman he has to protect and the woman is promptly murdered. Can the real story finally begin? Joe goes in search of the culprits together with the woman’s somewhat too talkative (ex-) boyfriend (Damon Wayans) and of course there is a lot behind the murder.

It has to be said: ‘The Last Boy Scout’ is, if you’re a fan of the genre, top notch entertainment. Willis and Wayans are visible in their element as cynical old hand and busy black kid on the street, respectively. Such opposing poles can’t help but become buddies and actually that unlikely (an indispensable condition within the genre) friendship works fine here. Moreover, the story serves well as a solid foundation for sufficiently fascinating side plots, all connected through simple, but convincing entanglements and effective cliffhangers. It doesn’t get boring here. Humor is above all the asset. Willis in particular hits the spot a few times with nice one-liners. The more dire his situation, the better it seems to get. As if he can think more soberly with a gun to his head. Willis’ vision of his time seems to cover it nicely; “This is the ’90s. You don’t just go around punching people. You have to say something cool first”. Everyone in the film understands that happiness, humor and violence go hand in hand here.

In contrast to tough nonchalance, there are few convincing emotional entanglements. That Joe is upset about his adulterous wife comes to us through name-calling and other unflattering non-verbal communication. Not that you see a poignantly pathetic or disappointed Willis or anything like that. The story never gets really scary. It’s all too cool for that. But hey, just to stay in the style of the film, who gives a (…). As long as you can shoot and get dirty.