F/X (1986)

Rollie Tyler (Bryan Brown) is a special effects man working on low budget movies in New York City when one day, the FBI suddenly comes calling and they have a unique assignment for him.  They would like for him to stage the fake murder of a mobster (Jerry Orbach) whom they recently arrested and will make a witness.  So Rollie takes on this assignment and everything goes as planned.....or DOES it? :o Suddenly the Feds are after HIM and the NYPD is on the trail too lead by Detective Leo McCarthy (Brian Dennehy).  And what results is a fun cat-and-mouse thriller with Rollie trying to evade the bad guys with his own unique bag of special effects tricks!  Directed by Robert Mandel (School Ties, The Substitute), this grew into a well-liked cult hit in the '80's eventually spawning both a sequel and inspiring a TV series of the same name. 

Host: Geoff Gershon
Edited By Ella Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon  

Transcript

F/X – 1986

Directed by Robert Mandel

Starring Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Venora, Cliff DeYoung, Mason Adams, Joe Grifasi, Martha Gehman, Trey Wilson, Roscoe Orman, Tom Noonan, and Jerry Orbach

Genre: Thriller(Audio clip)

This has become an annual rewatch for me, one of my true comfort food movies.  What helps is that it features indelible lead performances from two great Brians - Bryan Brown and the late, great Brian Dennehy.  It's just such a taut, entertaining time capsule for a time before CGI when all of the best trickery could happen right before your eyes. And that brings us to the main hook of this movie: Who better to hire to help you stage a fake murder than a visual effects (F/X) artist and along those lines....if you're on the run from rogue government agents trying to frame you for murder, who's better qualified to evade them than a visual F/X artist?

'80's Aussie phenom Brown plays said F/X artist Rollie Tyler who is hired to stage the murder of arrested monster Nick DeFranco (the late, great Jerry Orbach who was basically the Jewish Dennis Farina of his time, alternating roles as cops and mobsters) by Justice Dept. officials who want to use this staged murder to keep him in protective custody...or do they?? 🤔 That leaves Rollie on the run chased by Feds lead by Cliff DeYoung and Mason Adams (the poor man's Jason Robards) who want to kill him...and Dennehy playing Leo McCarthy, a seasoned NYPD detective who wants to finally bring down DeFranco while also getting to the bottom of what the hell this F/X guy has to do with it all!

And both stars really make it work to the point where it's hard to not root for BOTH of them by the time it ends. (MAYBE setting up a sequel?) Especially Dennehy who was always good at portraying formidable figures...even in this particular role when he REALLY presents himself as a sleep-deprived, perpetually hung-over burn out. His Leo is slovenly on the surface but always adept at using his intuition to get to the truth...Dennehy could never have played a bumbling idiot even if he tried and that's part of what made him such a special talent!

Beyond that, the second half of F/X is filled with inventive setpieces of Rolllie pulling the wool over the eyes of any one who's chasing him with the help of his never-ending bag of tricks.  

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

This film’s score comes us to from one of THE most reliable composers for genre films from this era – he conducted rousing themes for most of the Rocky movies, the Karate Kid series, and a variety of other films throughout the ‘80’s and ‘90’s including previous episodes Blood In Blood Out and The Thomas Crown Affair.  And his music here is mostly piano-based with some nice strings – it’s ideal for a thriller like this, kicking in at just the right points. (Audio clip)  

Though of course for me, the musical highlight has to the ‘80’s stalwart of a catchy pop needled-drop closing out the film which SORTA references the movie…I mean barely in this case but that’s ok.  It’s a great ending too as both Rollie and Leo are now teamed up….in Switzerland….to nab the last of DeFranco’s mob money.  And they’re able to do it with a key and a disguise…..GUESS who’s wearing the disguise.  Like I stated earlier, it kinda feels like a playful set-up for a sequel where we finally get to see them team up….and there eventually WAS a sequel a few years later….and….it wasn’t bad, it IS fun to see these guys together regardless.  And the song which kicks in JUST as they’re driving off into the mountains comes to us from Imagination, a pretty popular synth pop trio from London in the early 80’s.  Surprisingly considering the era, I haven’t really heard anything else they have done but I REALLY like this song – mid-tempo, nice hook, catchy chorus, and VERY ‘80’s.  The song is….”Just An ILLUSION.” (Audio clip)   

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

Future Michael Mann collaborator Diane Venora – she would go on to play two different disgruntled wives in previous episodes Heat and The Insider in the ‘90’s – plays quirky New York actress Ellen who is….yup you guessed it, Rollie’s GIRLFRIEND!  This was one of her earliest on-screen performances and she’s quite fun to watch as we’re introduced to her as a player on one of Rollie’s movies. (Audio clip) 

Unfortunately as you might have guessed, something happens to her character barely a half hour into the film…..I think the term is getting FRIDGED?  I mean to be fair, it’s done VERY effectively and pretty much sets the plot in motion but….this is kind of akin Halle Berry’s early exit from previous episode The Last Boy Scout, just another instance of a promising young actress REALLY cooking on-screen before leaving too soon.  The movie loses a LITTLE New York spark once she leaves….(Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

For me, the standout sequence has always been the genuinely nifty climax taking place at a Long Island mansion where the mobsters and Feds are both holed up - this is just SUCH a fun sequence which I can watch again and again, so many cool gags! My favorite one MIGHT be a special retractable mirror which projects an image from the side – this becomes Rollie’s way of getting one gangster to shoot another. (Audio clip) 

Besides the trick mirror, he’s using explosive balloons, fake neck prosthetics, sound effects devices, and even a certain adhesive leading to the film’s BEST line.   Bottom line, you'll come for the Br(i)yans and you'll leave learning a clever new use for Crazy Glue. ;)( (Audio clip) Aud

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

This caper was directed by Robert Mandel, a journeyman director from the '80's and '90's who would direct another underrated gem a few years later with School Ties - he does a nice job briskly setting up the story with an intriguing assortment of pieces (cops, goons gangsters, Feds, illusionists) and then explores all of the juicy possibilities once they all start to scatter. It's all briskly paced with Dennehy and Brown navigating a murder mystery from opposite ends of the law...you could actually say this was an early template for the film version of The Fugitive with Dennehy in the Tommy Lee Jones role and Brown as our Richard Kimble this time around.  Beyond that, he does an adept job of maintaining tension even WITH much of it relying on the application of special effects on-screen – even with all of the tricks we see Rollie pulling off, it never results in any moment where you’re watching as an audience member and you suspect that it’s the FILMMAKERS fooling you.  For pulling off a tight thriller despite a tricky premise, Robert Mandell is the MVP.      

Final Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5 

I have little doubt that SO many aspects of this film feel dated now but it still works.  Happy 40th Anniversary to one of the more underrated thrillers of the ‘80’s!

Streaming on YouTube (shhh)

And that ends another I DISMEMBER MAMA  review!