Hard Vice (1994)

Best movie of this year hands down!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

HARD VICE is an unusual 'late night' thriller starring queen of the B-movies, Shannon Tweed. What's unusual about it is that Tweed manages to keep her clothes on throughout the movie (at least in the version I saw), something hitherto unheard-of in this genre! Sadly, erotic thrillers like this only work because of their constant sexual content, and without the sex HARD VICE is just a boring thriller.The plot sees a squad of detectives going after a renegade prostitute with a habit of murdering her clients. Lead among the crew is Sam Jones, he of FLASH GORDON fame, a man who has seemingly gained no acting ability in the years since he first rose to fame. Tweed isn't bad as an actress, however. A shame that the plot is so low key and unmemorable, and that for the most part HARD VICE is both tame and dull.

During the first few minutes, I thought I was going to like "Hard Vice" more than I expected; it was obviously a very low-budget production, but it seemed to have a redeeming sense of humor. After a while, though, it started becoming clear that writer-director Joey Travolta must have mostly let the actors improvise their own dialogue rather than giving them some funny lines himself. Sam Jones, Shannon Tweed and the rest try to play along, but stand-up comedians they are not. Tweed's role is actually pretty thankless in "Hard Vice", and there is absolutely no nudity, or anything remotely close to it, by her either! (Unless there is an "unrated" version out there somewhere). At least we get to see the smashing Rebecca Ferratti in black lingerie, but that's just one short scene. The "mystery" plot is ridiculous, and the action is basically limited to 2 car explosions. This is one of the least essential Shannon Tweed movies in existence. *1/2 out of 4.

In the UK Channel 5 use to show this film late on a Friday night during what was their adult rated slot, so that's an indication of how they viewed it.It is a funny film, but for all the wrong reasons. The plot, acting and dialogue are awful, and for once Shannon Tweed keeps her clothes on for the majority of the film, which must be a record for her. Just one brief intimate interlude.Favourite moment has to be the computer database search for likely suspects. This takes police computer science back twenty years. Obviously the budget didn't stretch to decent graphics. Just four suspects names in large font and we have to believe one of the team has been working all night to achieve this result! One of those really bad films you should see at least once.

"Hard Vice" is a typical, yet entertaining cop thriller that is worth watching for the gorgeous Playboy Bunny Rebecca Ferratti. She has the best body caught on film and the sex scenes with her are very steamy. Otherwise, there's not too much memorable in this so-so cop thriller about a group of vice cops on the trail of a prostitute who kills the men she sleeps with. The leads are likable, Sam Jones and Shannon Tweed (who keeps her clothes on through most of it, but still shows off her breasts in a scene) are great together and have a lot of chemistry. The rest of the vice squad are all good in their parts. In his directing debut, Joey Travolta stages scenes well, with plenty of gorgeous Las Vegas cinematography. The script however, is pretty weak and the plot twists are no surprises. Still, its a pretty decent late-night film. Ferratti definitely makes this film worth watching though...wish she would be in more of these films. Overall, Movie (6 out of 10) - For Rebecca (10 out of 10)