Annabella Sciorra, James Woods, LL Cool J

In this raucous, high-energy action thriller from 1991, Michael J. Fox plays a spoiled Hollywood movie star who wants to bring vivid authenticity to his latest role as a big-city cop, so he recruits t...( read more  read more... )he real thing (James Woods) as his experienced mentor. This unlikely partnership doesn't sit too well with Woods, a hot-headed New York street cop who's a magnet for action-packed trouble. But that makes him just the right guy for Fox's research, which goes so far as to include Woods's girlfriend (Annabella Sciorra) and participation in some death-defying crime work. Fast, vulgar, and cranked at high volume, this is the kind of movie that contributed to the destruction of quality storytelling in mainstream Hollywood movies, but the screenplay scores bonus points for its lively characters and even livelier dialogue. Director John Badham is no slouch when it comes to action scenes, either, so if you buckle up and hold on tight, doing things The Hard Way can be surprisingly entertaining. To display the action in full widescreen glory, the DVD presents the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. --Jeff Shannon

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46% liked it

8,817 ratings

R, 111 min.

Directed by: John Badham

Release Date: June 1, 1991

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DVD Release Date: November 17, 1998

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Stats: 294 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (294)


  • September 9, 2007
    One of my favorite buddy/comedies ever made.
  • May 31, 2007
    Seen this on TV a few times and always forgot the name. An enjoyable film about a big method acting star who teams up with a tough cop to prepare for his new role and ends up in danger!
  • March 14, 2007
    so unbelieveably BAAAADDDD!
  • March 8, 2007
    This buddy cop movie is exactly the kind of cliched formulaic nonsense parodied by Last Action Hero. Woods as the usual tightly wound workaholic cop and Fox as the pampered Hollywood film star who inevitably teaches him life lessons are watchable enough, but it's nothing we haven...( read more)'t seen a hundred times before.
  • February 2, 2007
    I haven't seen it in ages but as this was one of the first buddy cop films I had seen, not to mention the first time I had seen the 'actor gone cop' scenario I had the pleasure of viewing. Woods and Fox are incredibly funny together and the mishaps they stumble upon to make it on...( read more)e of the best in the genre.
  • July 30, 2009
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  • July 17, 2009
    predictable as punch but cant be denied it has some really funny moments even if you do see them coming. Its not exactly going to win any prizes for intelligence or meaningful story but it would take a hard hearted man not to revell in james woods performance as a man pushed to t...( read more)he edge and then over it when michael j fox comes into his life.
  • June 22, 2009
    Entertaining action thriller from the early 90's.
  • May 7, 2009
    Ohh, I love them both
  • April 12, 2009
    brilliantly cheesey early nineties movie, perfect for channel five at 9 o clock on the dot xD

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The Hard Way Trivia


  • SAME NAME: Adrien Brody in King Kong Adrien Brody in The Jacket Adrien Brody in Love the Hard Way  Answer »
  • which actor played a cop along side michael j fox in the hard way  Answer »
  • What is this film, in which Bruce Willis is struggling to remember the way a policeman should behave?  Answer »
  • "I wanted this to be professional. Efficient, adroit, cooperative, not a lot to ask. Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way, so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life." This has to be the best bad guy line by the best bad guy. what movie is it from  Answer »

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