The Hard Way
1991 · Movie · R · 111 min · ★ 6.2 · 69% critics
A fame-hungry action star convinces a New York police captain to let him shadow a hard-edged detective for research on a new role. The eager tagalong’s constant questions and showy imitation quickly wear down his reluctant guide, especially as a dangerous serial killer keeps striking and the real case won’t wait for Hollywood.
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Details
- Years
- 1991
- Release date
- 1991-03-08
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Critic score
- 69/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.2/10 (478 votes)
About
If you enjoy mismatched-partner action comedies with fast talk, city chaos, and a meta Hollywood wink, this should hit the spot; Not for you if you want grounded realism or subtle humor like Stakeout.
Pros: sharp buddy banter; energetic set pieces; fun Hollywood satire | Cons: uneven tone; over-the-top villain; pacing sags at times
Themes
- dual identity
- undercover agent
- police
- identity
- detective
- role reversal
- movie star
- buddy cop
- manhattan, new york city
Cast & crew
Michael J. Fox
as Nick Lang
James Woods
as John Moss
Stephen Lang
as Party Crasher
Annabella Sciorra
as Susan
John Capodice
as Grainy
Luis Guzmán
as Pooley
LL Cool J
as Billy
Mary Mara
as China
Delroy Lindo
as Captain Brix
Conrad Roberts
as Witherspoon
Directed by John Badham