Shakedown (1988 film)
| Shakedown | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | James Glickenhaus |
| Produced by | J. Boyce Harman Jr. |
| Written by | James Glickenhaus |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Jonathan Elias |
| Cinematography | John Lindley |
| Edited by | Paul Fried |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 112 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6 million |
| Box office | $10,068,039 |
Shakedown (also known in international markets as Blue Jean Cop) is a 1988 crime drama/action movie starring Peter Weller and Sam Elliott. The movie is about an idealistic lawyer teaming with a veteran cop to find out the truth in a possible police corruption scandal.
Plot
Roland Dalton (Weller) is a burned-out, mild-mannered Manhattan public defender, and his last case before leaving legal aid is crack dealer Michael Jones (Richard Brooks), accused of shooting to death police officer Patrick O'Leary in Central Park. According to Jones, the shooting was in self-defense and that officer O'Leary was a 'Blue Jean Cop' (an opportunistic police officer who robs drug dealers).
Being a 'creature of habit', Dalton seeks the truth to his mysterious case and looks to Richie Marks (Sam Elliott), a renegade loner NYPD narcotics agent. Dalton realizes the prosecutor in his last case is a former love interest, the smart and sexy Susan Cantrell (Patricia Charbonneau). Throughout the trial Roland rekindles this former affair with Susan unbeknown to his fiancée Gail (Blanche Baker).
Roland and Marks eventually learn that O'Leary was working with a large number of dirty cops who purchased blue jeans and an expensive car. The dirty cops were working with drug lord Nicky 'N.C.' Carr (Antonio Fargas). Roland at one point breaks into the police station's evidence locker to locate the cassette tape that Jones had in a boom box radio at the time of his shooting. The tape recorded the entire incident and when Roland attempts to get the tape he is taken hostage by the team of dirty cops. Just before Roland is going to be killed, Marks bursts into the room and shoots the cops, saving Roland.
Although Roland makes it to court, with the assistance of an insane cab driver (Tom Mardirosian) the judge refuses to allow the tape into evidence. After making an impassioned closing statement, the jury acquits Jones of the shooting. Marks then shows up in a Porsche purchased by O'Leary and they go to the airport to hunt down Carr and the last of the dirty cops. Richie jumps onto the planes landing gear and after shooting out an engine and tossing a hand grenade into the landing gear compartment, he jumps to safety just as the plane explodes.
The movie ends with Roland again working as a public defender, he's broken up with Gail and is once again dating Susan. The film is notable for its high number of extremely dangerous stunts.
Selected cast
- Peter Weller - Roland Dalton
- Sam Elliott - Richie Marks
- Patricia Charbonneau - Susan Cantrell
- Jude Ciccolella - Patrick O'Leary
- Blanche Baker - Gail Feinberger
- Antonio Fargas - Nicky Carr
- Richard Brooks - Michael Jones
- John C. McGinley - Sean Phillips
- Leland J. Eller - 1st Officer
- George Loros - Officer Varelli
- Thomas G. Waites - Officer Kelly
- Daryl Edwards - Dr. Watson
- Jos Laniado - Ruben
- Larry Joshua - Rydel
- Tom Mardirosian - Taxi Cab Driver