A cops and robbers tale of stirring complexity and sundrenched darkness, To Live and Die in L.A. features a then floundering William Friedkin back on top of his game in this thrilling crime movie where the line between good and bad is blurred by obsession and vengeance.
The lines are clear between the law and the outlaw. For secret service agent Richard Chance (William Peterson), those lines are mere distractions in his pursuit of counterfeiter Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe), a criminal of cerebral mind, avant-garde style, and brutal violence that saw him kill Chance’s partner (Michael Greene). Chance’s obsession is more than reckless. It is dangerous.
It is the perfect character for director William Friedkin, whose films often feature characters that immerse themselves in obsession, and often confront violence while doing so. A prime example of course is Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, played by Oscar winner Gene Hackman in The French Connection. Yet Chance is a different beast, and a then unknown William Petersen inhabits him with a dogged, razor-sharp focus that is of single mind and single goal. He is a good cop, but pride and vengeance has seen him become corrupted.
Playing criminal to Petersen’s cop is Willem Dafoe. Confident, cool, and dangerous, Dafoe plays Masters at his menacing best, always staying one step ahead of the law while relishing the yuppie excesses of his environment.
Friedkin weaves the dynamic between Petersen’s cop and Dafoe’s criminal into a mesmerising tapestry of cop movie theatrics and character rich drama. To Live and Die in L.A. is a film that will document the complexities of money in laundering in one scene, transition into (almost) buddy-cop territory (as exemplified by the partnership between Petersen and his fellow Chicago actor John Pankow), and then erupt into a spectacular action sequence.
One particular sequence involving a chase through the streets, freeways (against traffic!), and flood control channels of downtown Los Angeles, reminds of Friedkin’s uncanny ability to create impactful, white-knuckle-tight cinema that pulls the viewer into the action and does not let up. Shocking scenes of violence is feature throughout the film, yet suits this world where life and death is determined by who shoots first.
To Live and Die in L.A. was something of a comeback movie for Friedkin, whose career went off track with a series of underperforming releases. It still stands as a towering example of how, when given the right material, he can deliver thrilling and compelling movie that will shock, awe, and haunt with equal measure.
