Turk 182! (1985)

Waste of time

Too much of everything

An absolute waste of money

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

When a simple, jovial New York firefighter is badly injured rushing into a fire while off-duty, his kid brother takes up his cause with the mayor after he's refused workers' compensation. Somehow that leads to a series of graffiti-based public black eyes for the administration that quickly escalate in size and media coverage. Naturally Jimmy, the barely-legal brother, is behind it all. A close follow-up to director Bob Clark's A Christmas Story, the two are, oddly, very similar in tone and candor. The whimsical, light touch works for a family holiday tale, but in a streetwise take on corrupt politicians it doesn't really fit. A stiflingly straightforward plot, one-dimensional characters and senseless love story don't help matters. This wants to seem charming, funny and intelligent, but in practice it's bland, soft and out of touch. The one real hook could've been a focus on how, exactly, Jimmy manages to constantly thwart the mayor's security measures and lay his tags, but most of that activity is left to our imagination. Weak, flavorless and bereft of passion, it's a real dud.

Director Bob Clark ("Porkys," "Murder By Decree," "A Christmas Story") films one of his best ever here. When an off duty fireman (Robert Urich)attempts to save a child from a burning building, he is injured. But due to the fact he had been at a local bar at the time of the fire, the city of New York deny's him his earned and justified Pension. When his younger brother (Timothy Hutton) tries to get some justice for his brother he is rebuffed by everyone including an arrogant Mayor (Robert Culp)of New York. After his brother is blamed and arrested by the police for a minor bit of mischief that he is responsible for, Jimmy Lynch fights back, using a plan that will literally drive the politico nuts. Also stars Peter Boyle as an over the edge cop, and Daren McGavin as a police detective. Kim Catrall is a social worker that wants to help Jimmy in the end. This film is one of those feel good movies, with a lot of good moments and a fine understated moral. With this one Bob Clark is a modern day Aesop.Most definitely worth a watch.

I saw this movie while studying (or watching movies) in Toronto many years ago and it stuck with me. I only saw it once yet I still think of its impact on me then. Having lost my brother just the year before I too wanted justice and this movie hit me good. Fine flick. Fine flick, indeed. Never heard much about it then or since - 'cept in my head. Oh my, if you could only read what's painted inside my head. To tell you details about the movie I couldn't begin to do so. It was just one of those flicks which grabbed me and hung on for the next 21 year ride. In fact, the reason I'm writing this now is because I saw a freight train go through Kingston today festooned with colourful tags and I thought about Turk 182 again. Why? I don't think about Kermit when I witness the annual spring and autumn frog migration. Enjoy the movie.

The Paul Sorvino sequence itself is classic. Timothy Hutton makes a fine hero for this ultimate feel-good movie. I've seen this 3 times, and enjoyed it more each time. Robert Culp is perfect as the mayor. Darren McGavin and Peter Boyle are both wonderful in their supporting roles, as are Robert Urich and David Wohl -- even though they are given less to do. I see a couple people referring to this as a turkey, and I'd like to know why. I thought the characters are very true to themselves, and the relationships were well-thought out, well-paced and well-executed. Forget the critics, just watch and enjoy.