DIRECTED BY: Tony Scott
STARRING: Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Chelsea Field, Danielle Harris, Taylor Negron, Noble Willingham and Halle Berry
BUDGET: $29m
EARNED (Worldwide): $59.5m
AWARDS: None
SYNOPSIS
A down and out cynical detective teams up with a down and out ex-quarterback to try and solve a murder case involving a pro football team and a politician.
Joe Hallenbeck is a private investigator, a former secret service agent and one time national hero. Joe gets an assignment to bodyguard a stripper named Cory, who happens to be the girlfriend of James ‘Jimmy’ Alexander Dix, a former LA Stallions quarterback. When Cory is brutally gunned down, Joe and Jimmy attempt to investigate and solve the case.
The Last Boy Scout is a buddy-action film from the early 90’s that sounded like it was a nightmare to film (read the ‘Did You Know?’ section below) yet you wouldn’t think that with how enjoyable the film is. The case of Cory and who murdered her covers the basis of the film which goes on an interesting angle, all the while with the hallmark of snappy dialogue penned from Shane Black, giving us a memorable opening scene and then focusing on two fallen heroes, one that used to be a secret service agent and the other a footballer. To say this film isn’t for the faint heart is an understatement, the opening scene alone should give you an idea of exactly what to be ready for its profanity, violence, misogynistic, yet smart and skillful. The key players for making the film work however is the chemistry between Willis and Wayans, as well as Taylor Negron as villain Milo, not your typical mindless hard man, with the habit of elongating peoples names.
FAVOURITE SCENE: Don’t touch Joe again otherwise he’ll kill you.
FAVOURITE QUOTE: ‘This is the ’90s. You can’t just walk up and slap a guy, you have to say something cool first.’ – Joe Hallenbeck
DID YOU KNOW?: In a New Yorker profile, producer Joel Silver said that the making of this film was “one of the three worst experiences of (his) life.” Director Tony Scott also spoke about how miserable production was, largely because Silver and Bruce Willis took over the production, altered parts of Shane Black’s script, and made him shoot scenes he hated under threat of being fired and having to forfeit his salary.
Irish Cinephile 
I love The Last Boy Scout. Didn’t realise the production was quite so turbulent, but it’s such a fun, over-the-top action movie.
Agreed. The production mayhem surprised me to when I read up on it, you wouldn’t think it from the finished product. Probably explains why there was no followup, even with its open ending.
Loved this film as a kid. Need to go back and revisit it. Keep reading rumours of Willis being a pain to work with though.