Bad Boys 1983

Bad Boys 1983

Bad Boys 1983
2h 3m | Crime, Drama, Thriller | Release date: March 25, 1983 (United States)

Storyline:

Mick O’Brien, a sixteen-year-old juvenile delinquent preying on Chicago’s unsuspecting people, is arrested and taken to Rainford Juvenile Correctional Facility for negligent homicide. Unfortunately, his latest victim was an innocent eight-year-old boy. As a result, hell-bent on avenging his death, the ruthless teenage drug dealer, Paco Moreno, decides to get even. But, inevitably, Paco’s arrest, and his detention in Mike’s prison, will lead to a dangerously volatile co-existence, and all bets are off on their imminent confrontation. Now, the two rivals have no other choice but to lock horns and take the law into their own hands. Is there a future for bad boys, Mick and Paco?

User review:

I recently saw this movie again (on video, not the uncut DVD). I hadn’t seen it in about twenty years, but it affected me the same at 35 as it did when I saw it on cable at 14. It is one of the grittiest, rawest movies I have ever seen, and it works on a visceral level. The performances of Sean Penn and Esai Morales in this film go to show why they have both continued to be two of the hardest working actors in Hollywood. After seeing Penn as Jeff Spiccolli in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” I was amazed by his range in this film (although he was excellent in “Racing With the Moon,” which if memory serves me right also came out around this time). Morales took what could have been a one-note role and turned it into a caricature of a revenge-bent punk, but his talent even back then was clear that he was up to the challenge of putting emotion into the role and bringing some sympathy to Paco’s plight. Clancy Brown and Ally Sheedy were excellent in their roles as well.

The movie worked not just because the acting was great, but because the story moved along at an exciting pace. It was suspenseful and was not overly cliché or pat. Overall, it was an unforgettable movie experience, a strong cautionary tale that still makes people think.

Director: Rick Rosenthal
Writer: Richard Di Lello
Stars: Sean Penn, Reni Santoni, Jim Moody
Country of origin: United States
Language: English
Also known as: Bad Boys
Filming locations: Joliet Prison – Collins Street, Joliet, Illinois, USA