8 Million Ways to Die (1986)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Los Angeles police detective Jeff Bridges (as Matthew "Matt" Scudder) drinks on the job and use excessive force. In the opening scenes, he shoots a drug dealer, passes out, then loses his job. After speaking at an "Alcoholics Anonymous" meeting, Mr. Bridges receives a mysterious note requesting he help hooker Alexandra Paul (as Sunny) pull out of the sex trade... Bridges is reluctant, but she pleads, "I don't wanna be a whore anymore!" Uncooperative pimp Randy Brooks (as Willie "Chance" Walker) doesn't let his ladies off easily. Bridges becomes even more acquainted with prostitute Rosanna Arquette (as Sarah) and her head customer Andy Garcia (as Angel Moldonado)... "8 Million Ways to Die" is interesting as the last feature film directed by Hal Ashby, a great "actor's director" who lets this story get away. The improvisational quality adds realism - but you have to know when to stop, what to re-write, and how to edit. Witness, for example, the scene when Bridges meets Mr. Garcia in a parking for snow-cones. Something is wrong.**** 8 Million Ways to Die (4/25/86) Hal Ashby ~ Jeff Bridges, Rosanna Arquette, Andy Garcia, Alexandra Paul

the first hour of this movie is watchable; the second half continually degenerates and finally launches into a drug exchange scene that is horrifically scripted, directed and is laughably unrealistic; andy garcia tries his best to channel pacino's "scarface" performance but obviously isn't up to the task; randy brooks looks amateurish by overplaying his role as the tough, black gangster complete with stupid, stereotypical verbal assaults; jeff bridges puts in a solid performance and carries the movie --- he continues to be a poor man's kurt russell or kris kristofferson; however, his implied "conversion" of arquette from tough hooker to well behaved girlfriend is too much to take; almost forgot, what happened to all the money "scudder" found in the "po boys" bag??? hmmm, like a good cop, he probably released it into evidence ... not!! just another giant plot hole

I am a huge Hal Ashby fan - he was a brilliant editor (Oscar winner for In The Heat Of The Night) and an even better director (Being There, Coming Home, Shampoo, to name a few) but this film is a mess. I just read a book on Ashby's life and here was a lot of trouble on this film - the studio wanted a sleek Miami Vice type film and of course Ashby wanted a gritty movie closer to the author Laurence Block's books. You can tell there's huge chunks missing - the film is disjointed - Bridges does a nice job playing the damaged cop but in one of the worst pieces of miscasting - Alexandra Paul plays the sultry hooker who is supposed to lure Bridges and she is awful - about all she can play is flirty sorority girl and their scenes are dull and boring. Rosanna Arquette has nothing to play - a one dimensional another hooker with a heart of gold. Garcia does his best with what he has to play and there are some good scenes btwn him and Bridges. But overall, a schlocky mess with a terrible 80's synth score.

The locations alone are magnificent. The acting is sloppy, unpredictable and right in your face. The actors give performances that will sit on their resumes forever. The plot is goofy, draggy and ultimately unnecessary to your enjoyment. Jeff rules as a lost man caught off guard who fights back with his brain.I love this movie because it stood out among the pile of straight-to-cable trash that ruled the mid-eighties. Some of the scenes between Garcia and Bridges are absolutely horrifying in their intensity. It's not a detective movie. It's not really a drama, nor a thriller. It's more of a movie movie. I don't think Lawrence Block has anything to be ashamed of. I've seen "Burglar", where the location is changed, and the sex and color of his hero are switched. As Larry McMurtry once said, when asked if he liked what Hollywood had done to his books, "If they spell your name right on the check, then their writing serves your writing well."