Out of Bounds (1986)

A Masterpiece!

Blistering performances.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I admit, there are parts of this movie which are incredibly dumb. A lot of it owes, the incredibly poor script. But I really liked the fast paced flow of the movie. And we have a new action hero, Anthony Michael Hall. Yeah, right? Yeah too f..in' right. He rocks in the movie, that's a perfect vehicle for him, after the string of John Hughes films prior. He plays a farm boy, Daryl, in Iowa, and we see his miserable self, out there on the tractor working the farm. Some youngies speeding along in a red convertible, yell something to him, from a far, though I couldn't make out what it was, but I'm pretty sure they were dissing him. His parents have been arguing over Daryl's future, and we get a taste of their fracas's. At the advice of his Mother, he's sent out to L.A. to live with his brother. After having some wet dreams on the plane, he meets a would be actress, Dizz, sitting next to him. He makes one fatal mistake that costs him his older brother and fiancée's life, only the start of a bigger body count in the film, though we can't forget the poor sod at the start, who also made the fatal mistake of being a savior to the wrong guy, a drug trafficker, and psychopathic Kober, a great character actor of evil. Daryl had picked up the wrong duffel bag, an identical one to his-what are the chances? This bag worth killing for, contains H. Now, you're asking yourself, how did Kober not find Daryl at his brothers. He was in a segregated outhouse concealed coolly by a hedge. Now Daryl's on the run, with the H, and it isn't long before he's up to his neck in trouble. But this is the thrill ride, Hall, hijacking a bikie was great stuff, while nearly being blown away by a cop, while making a righteous phone call. He's soon reunited with Dizz, his only chance, of clearing himself, and taking pr..k Kober down. We really get to see a bit of L.A's underworld, Dizz and Daryl, putting it out there, he has what Kober's after, and soon enough they're being pursued by this psycho, where in the mean time, more bodies show up + a dead mouse, crushed by Kober's merciless hand. I though the way Kober died was stupid though, with Daryl, just happening to be a champion knife thrower. OOB has some pumping rock scores too, but I liked the energy of the film, regardless of the stupidity or realism, but the latter is not really why we go to the movies, now is it.

I always liked this film because it showed that Hall was not just some goofy nerd all the time. In this film he is faced by drug dealers and murderers and more real to life situations than that of other movies, such as the "Pretty in Pink" genre 80's movie. I don't see that it ever got released on DVD like some others from that time, why is that? Hall proves himself in a dramatic, thoughtful role as a simple teen who is able to develop survivor instincts under pressure. I have seen it many times and like it much more than the "Breakfast Club" or even "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" where the comedy pales after a few times of watching. I do not think it got the press it deserved. Many of my friends have never seen it. The film barely gets a mention anywhere, I think because it is not a comedy and is R-Rated for showing violence. I think people needed to see Hall do more dramatic acting than just stuck doing continual comedic roles. I think this movie shows part of the man who became one to play in the "Dead Zone."

Anthony Michael Hall is way Out of Bounds on a trip to Los Angeles. Fresh off the farm from Iowa, he picks up Jeff Kober's travel bag by mistake. Kober gets Hall's change of wardrobe and Hall gets over a million dollars in heroin. I don't think Jeff Kober has ever played a good guy in any of the films or television shows I've ever seen him in. He's succeeded Lyle Bettger in playing a lovely variety psychotics and in this case he's one psychotic drug dealer looking for his stash.Kober murders Hall's brother and his wife who Hall was staying with when he learns where he's staying and to top it all off, LAPD detective Glynn Turman is thinking Hall did the deed. Some trigger happy cops nearly kill Hall and he's off and running looking for the only other person he knows in Los Angeles, a waitress played by Jenny Wright who he met on the plane out from Iowa.Farm boy Hall is in one hostile environment as he tries desperately to survive and clear himself.Anthony Michael Hall was still in his brat pack period when he did Out of Bounds. He portrays the resourceful, but vulnerable Iowa kid very well. But the acting honors of this film go to Jeff Kober. A really unsung and underrated performer, Kober always delivers the goods when he's a bad guy. In fact one day I'd like to see try doing comedy for a change.Till then Kober will keep you on the edge of your seat when you watch him in Out of Bounds.

Predictable '80s actioner. Everything is set up as if it's underlined. We see Anthony Michael Hall practicing with his knife, so we know it'll come into play. Jeff Kober is good as the guy pursuing Hall. HIS motivations and actions are the only ones that make any sense, and he's the bad guy! Somebody gave me the video as a birthday present because I'm a huge Kober fan. If you are too, go watch AUTOMATIC (1994) or your box set of KINDRED instead.