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The Hard Way

  • 1991
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
24K
YOUR RATING
Michael J. Fox and James Woods in The Hard Way (1991)
Home Video Trailer from Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:19
1 Video
96 Photos
Buddy CopSatireActionComedyCrime

An action movie star researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman, who finds him superficial and irritating.An action movie star researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman, who finds him superficial and irritating.An action movie star researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman, who finds him superficial and irritating.

  • Director
    • John Badham
  • Writers
    • Lem Dobbs
    • Michael Kozoll
    • Daniel Pyne
  • Stars
    • Michael J. Fox
    • James Woods
    • Stephen Lang
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    24K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Badham
    • Writers
      • Lem Dobbs
      • Michael Kozoll
      • Daniel Pyne
    • Stars
      • Michael J. Fox
      • James Woods
      • Stephen Lang
    • 95User reviews
    • 34Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    The Hard Way
    Trailer 2:19
    The Hard Way

    Photos96

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    + 90
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    Top Cast70

    Michael J. Fox
    Michael J. Fox
    • Nick Lang
    James Woods
    James Woods
    • John Moss
    Stephen Lang
    Stephen Lang
    • Party Crasher
    Annabella Sciorra
    Annabella Sciorra
    • Susan
    John Capodice
    John Capodice
    • Grainy
    Luis Guzmán
    Luis Guzmán
    • Pooley
    • (as Luis Guzman)
    LL Cool J
    LL Cool J
    • Billy
    Mary Mara
    Mary Mara
    • China
    Delroy Lindo
    Delroy Lindo
    • Captain Brix
    Conrad Roberts
    Conrad Roberts
    • Witherspoon
    Christina Ricci
    Christina Ricci
    • Bonnie
    Penny Marshall
    Penny Marshall
    • Angie
    George Cheung
    George Cheung
    • Drug Dealer
    Frank Geraci
    • Newsman
    Sophie Maletsky
    • Pizza Waitress
    Lewis Black
    Lewis Black
    • Banker
    Rand Foerster
    • Banker
    Anderson Matthews
    • Banker
    • Director
      • John Badham
    • Writers
      • Lem Dobbs
      • Michael Kozoll
      • Daniel Pyne
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews95

    6.424.1K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Hard Way' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour (1998)
    Buddy Cop
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Satire
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      According to James Woods, his role in this film was one of his toughest because his character had to constantly be angry with Michael J. Fox's character, who he found very likeable in real life.
    • Goofs
      Early in the movie a car is released from a tow truck and it flips. The piston and the metal frame used to flip it are clearly visible during the flip and the subsequent roll of the car.
    • Quotes
      • Nick Lang: [on the big screen] It's not like the movies. They get 17 takes to get it right. We get one take. It lasts our whole lives. We mess it up and we're dead.
      • John Moss: [in the audience] Hey! That's my line!
    • Alternate versions
      In addition to the usual cuts for broadcast standards, the version aired on NBC (and later on USA, etc.) showed scenes out of sequence. Just after John first meets Nick at the police station, the movie jumps to the two of them at the hot dog stand. After that entire scene plays out, it then goes back to the scene that would have originally preceded it, with John taking Nick to the ghetto to question the Dead Romeos. The re-edit probably would have been unnoticeable to a viewer if not for the fact that at the hot dog stand they are seen with a new, garish police car to replace one that was destroyed in the Dead Romeos scene.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper: The Doors/My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys/Iron & Silk/Superstar (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Momma Said Knock You Out
      Written by LL Cool J (as J.T. Smith), Marley Marl (as M. Williams) and Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin

      Performed by LL Cool J (as L L Cool J)

      Produced by Marley Marl and LL Cool J (as L L Cool J)

      Co-produced by Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin

      Courtesy of Columbia/Def Jam Records

      By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

    Top picks

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    Details

    • Release date
      • March 8, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Chơi khó
    • Filming locations
      • Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA(shooting scene)
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • The Badham-Cohen Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Budget
      • $24,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $25,895,485
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,301,470
      • Mar 10, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $65,595,485
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 51m(111 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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