My Bodyguard (1980)

Perfect cast and a good story

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Somehow this movie completely passed me by. I only heard about it a couple of weeks ago after watching Siskel And Eberts at the movies review of "Three O'Clock High" which was one of my favourite movies on growing up about a nerdish guy at school getting into a fight with the most feared student in the school. Both reviewers slated it saying they wished the movie had been more like My Bodyguard. I searched for it and seen it for rent on Amazon Prime so figured I would give it a try. This is a fantastic movie. Its a teen movie with no glitz and glamour about it at all. it just feels completely realistic and down to earth. The film in a nutshell. A semi-well off kid moves and goes to a new highschool and it turns out there is the worst bully there taking "protection money" from everyone all on the supposed basis of him protecting everyone in the school from an even worse student played by Adam Baldwin whose story is he had literally murdered a bunch of people and is feared by everyone in the school to the extent that he barely shows up for lessons and nobody cares and lets him do it. The new kid doesn't want to pay and instead tries to find out some more about Adam Baldwins character and finds out the stories are not what they seem and in turns befriends him.This movie is way better than the Karate Kid, Three O'Clock High and all others about bullying at school. I really recommend you seek out this movie. You will be surprised how well made and uplifting it is.Adam Baldwin really shows he is a fantastic actor in this movie too. This is definitely worth watching if you have been watching him in Chuck and want something along similar lines.

I watch this movie , I found the positive aspects and disadvantages. The positive aspects are: there is a true difference size or force the child arrives but all the same it has the appearance defend but downside is that little happens all the same to beat his opponent and it n is not normal for that the film is average. As the film passes himself in a school where there is a lot of joy of happiness, and I love it film also by a passage of the film or the infant will avenge her or his opponents by throwing them in the face or ketchup , that's why I give this film average , that's why I give this film averaged That is why I give this film averaged

I remember loving this movie when I saw it as a grade school kid growing up. It remains a classic, and to me, is more satisfying with each viewing. Perhaps it's because this may just be the most realistic movie about kids, friendship, and growing up I've ever seen. It's refreshing to know that they can make movies about young kids without portraying them as sex maniacs, criminals, or drug users.My Bodyguard is about a high school student, oddly named Clifford Peache (Chris Makepeace), who is encountering trouble at school. After unwisely insulting a school bully nicknamed "Moody," (played wonderfully by Matt Dillon) he becomes a target. They want him to give them their lunch money, for protection. From who? "From themselves, of course, but that's not what they say.." no, indeed. They tell him they're trying to protect him from a big, tough kid named Ricky Linderman (played by Adam Baldwin in his film debut).Clifford is somewhat small, he doesn't know how to fight, and he's not very intimidating, thus, he can't really defend himself. So, what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in intelligence and cleverness. He decides that he wants to pay Ricky Linderman "to be my bodyguard." This is where the movie really begins, and makes an excellent turn.Linderman is somewhat of an outcast and a loner at school, presumably because of his size, and some unkind rumors milling about the school. He has a reputation for being a psychopathic menace, but as it turns out, he's just a normal kid who experienced a tragic event. Clifford decides to get back at Moody with Linderman watching his back. Linderman is at first a little hesitant to accept Clifford's attempt at creating their friendship. Then, one day after Clifford is caught following his "bodyguard" home, their wonderful, unlikely friendship begins. The bonding sequence between these two unlikely companions is really satisfying to watch.Not only does Linderman help Cliff, Cliff helps Linderman. Linderman begins to open up, alleviate his shyness, and relate better to people. He begins to understand that there are friends out there, and we all need support. This character transition that Baldwin makes is extremely well-acted and very convincing. Clifford, we later learn, isn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve. Some scenes later in the movie, like Linderman getting pushed around by another tough kid, are a little difficult and painful to watch. The scenes about Cliff's grandmother (played by the wonderfully funny Ruth Gordon) and Martin Mull as his father trying to keep her under control in the bar of the hotel he manages, don't really go with the other scenes, and are almost like a film-within-a-film. That's easily forgiven and forgotten, though, because of the brilliance of the other parts, especially a great fight scene where everything comes together at the end. I haven't seen too many movies where I've liked the ending as much as this one.The most gratifying thing about this movie, is perhaps the lessons that can be learned. I loved the scene where Clifford discusses the rumors about Linderman with one of the teachers, who more or less implies that we should judge people and form our own opinions instead of listening to rumors and gossip. Clifford is wise enough not to listen to the rumors. It's nice to know that people can be friends, despite differences in their backgrounds, economic status, or social circles. It reminded me of a line from On Golden Pond spoken by Katherine Hepburn: "Sometimes you have to look hard at a person, and realize they're doing the best they can." My Bodyguard does exactly that.This is a very suitable film as well as great learning material for any teenager, teacher, or parent. The film is perfectly cast and the performances by the teenagers as well as the adults are fantastic. I liked the performance of Adam Baldwin the best, he starts out looking a little sloppy, scruffy, and primitive, but later goes through a transformation to a well-mannered, polite, affable, approachable young man. He is very convincing playing a kid who is tough, scared, sad, and angry at the same time. To make a treasure and a classic movie like this about teenagers and high school was some kind of miracle, and wonderful.

Director Tony Bill's uneven "My Bodyguard" feels lumpy, half-stewed, and occasionally very awkward...still, it's not a bad little movie and has a good cast and many good ingredients. Chris Makepeace (the moony-eyed kid from "Meatballs") is a highly intelligent, thoughtful young actor with a nice grasp of character; though his role here (as the new kid in school who immediately runs afoul of the local bully) isn't at all fresh, Makepeace does well with the over-written lines and gives the picture a nicely grounded base. Matt Dillon glowers convincingly enough as Moody, the punk with slicked-back hair (this was Dillon's third movie after "Over the Edge" and "Little Darlings", and his career was on a roll, with the future-star showing a nice sense of selection picking quirky, unusual teen-oriented films to start off with). Adam Baldwin plays the hulking, scary loner Linderman whom Makepeace pays to be his bodyguard, and their friendship doesn't feel nearly as contrived as the basic set-up, leading to an absorbing second-half. On the other hand, Makepeace's home life (with dad Martin Mull running a swanky Chicago hotel and grandma Ruth Gordon causing her usual mischief) DOES feel contrived; Bill's rhythm is really off in these instances, and if he's trying for laughs here he certainly doesn't get them. Any comedy with Ruth Gordon in the cast should be a partial hoot (at least), but Bill doesn't seem to know what to do with his adult actors and they often look anxious for help. I'm not sure what message the finale is sending out (or attempting to send out), however the kids are rarely a pain and most of them do solid work, particularly Joan Cusack as another joyful oddball. Jennifer Beals, pre-"Flashdance", has a non-speaking part as a student yet really stands out from the crowd (and Bill's camera is obviously in love with her angelic face). ** from ****