Against All Odds (1984)

A broke football player (Jeff Bridges) recently cut from his team is hired to track down a poor little rich girl (Rachel Ward) in Mexico wanted by her wealthy mother (Jane Greer) and her gangster ex-boyfriend (James Woods). Against All Odds is a remake of the 1940s classic Out of the Past. Updated for the 1980s, the film was also significantly dumbed down and rather than serve as a hardboiled noir like Out of the Past, Against All Odds is far more content to function as a melodrama probably in an attempt to secure better numbers at the box office. The movie is perhaps most notable for its excellent title song, played over the final scene and end credits, by Phil Collins. This final scene where Ward and Bridges stare at each other knowing they can never be together is the film's best moment. The film also gained traction because of a few, somewhat explicit, sex scenes between Ward and Bridges, but perhaps unconventionally it is Bridges' body that is showcased more than Ward's. The film also includes some nice tropical Mexican scenery, including a few scenes at ancient ruins, where Bridges and Ward have one of their romps. In general, Bridges is quite good here and that is to be expected as he excels in these kind of stoic roles where he plays an outsider. Ward, on the other hand, is about as emotive as a plank of wood. Rather than act, she mostly just whimpers through the whole film. The film also makes up a rather convoluted excuse as to why Ward's character speaks with an English, rather than American accent (the film is set mostly in LA and Ward's character is ostensibly American), but it was mostly likely due to the fact that she couldn't pull off a competent American accent. The film's biggest mistake however was turning the Ward character from a femme fatale who takes the initiative, as she did in the original film (and played by Jane Greer) into a largely helpless and ever whimpering rich girl. In the process the character lost a great deal of allure.The film is further marred by a script that goes totally off the rails in the film's final third weighed down by plot machinations featuring point-shaving and bribery and also a poorly directed climactic shootout/confrontation.

The film is a part remake of 'Out of the Past.' Jeff Bridges is a washed up football player Terry Brogan who to makes ends meet takes a job from a shady pal Jake Wise played by James Woods who seems to be involved in some kind of illegal bet fixing. His girlfriend Jessie Wyler played by a sultry Rachel Ward shot him and ran away with some money to Mexico and wants Terry to track him down which he does hand ends up with a steamy relationship with her instead.Now I am aware that 'Out of the Past' also had a convoluted plot in the film noir tradition. Here the the film comes across as confusing, silly and dull. It seems all of Brogan's former football coaches are involved in some dark deeds, one of them is even sent to wipe out Brogan. The side plot of his football team owners, associates and Brogan's own lawyer being involved in backstabbing him as well as some land development deal comes across as half baked.Still the film is well shot, Bridges and Ward make a sexy couple, Woods at the time was making himself a reputation as a bad guy and the end title song is very good but the film never lifts off.

I'd put off seeing "Against All Odds" for almost 30 years, though I'd loved Phil Collins video, and the title song, since it debuted on MTV. Turns out that the video is the better of the two and I should have just watched that. I finally rented the film, and it stinks. I can't believe Taylor Hackford made this confusing mess of a film. I also can't believe the 9-10 star reviews of the film on this site.I adore Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, and most of the other actors in the film, but not one of them does a credible job, which I don't think was their fault. Emotions range from spoiled tween to dementia-riddled senior on tranquilizers. One minute Rachel is crying, the next she's stomping off in a huff, then she runs away and jumps on a plane. Bridges recites his lines as if from a teleprompter, when just two years before, in "Tron," he is delightfully droll and playful as Flynn. Same with Ward; she was amazing two years earlier as Juliette in "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid." Alex Karras is completely wasted here. He has about three minutes tops of screen time, where he's just used as a plot point.Another reviewer mentioned that Bridges was in the best shape of his life at this time, and it's true that both he and Ward look fantastic. That doesn't quite make up for the dearth of good acting. The viewer has 128 minutes of story to sit through and in a film of that length they need something more than beautiful people to keep their attention. When you have the superlative Richard Widmark in your film as the main baddie and even his performance is comatose, something is dreadfully wrong. Widmark is more like an insurance agent discussing options on your policy than the crime kingpin he is supposed to be; no one can do evil expressions like Widmark, yet his face seems to have turned to stone here. James Woods, who can be counted on to go over the top if he is allowed to, remains about floor level with his emotions and his acting. When he threatens Bridges it sounds like your kid brother trying to impress you; there is no menace behind his threats. Because of all this I feel the blame for the nearly universal bad performances in this film has to fall on the director. This group of actors had given many wonderful performances before they made this film...they were capable of much more if only the director had asked it of them. The horrendous score and incidental music also deserve to be called out. The jagged electronic score was completely wrong. Hackford should have had Phil Collins do that as well; it cried out for something more lushly melodious and symphonic. The score bears a good deal of the blame in my reasons for hating the film. Hackford must have been distracted throughout the filming. He'd done a good job on "An Officer and a Gentleman," which had some great performances, but this film is just a complete dud. The only reason to watch it is for the beautiful scenery of coastal Mexico, and even that is muted on the DVD release. I'm upset that I can't get back the two hours I wasted on this movie.

How do I hate this movie: let me count the ways. Unsympathetic characters; silly plot; no suspense; terrible editing; LOTS of "filler" between key scenes; an Eighties time capsule with the ugly interior decor, big hair, and period clothing. Seeing Rachel Ward slipping in and out of the era's baggy clothing made me long for "Flashdance" instead of this tripe. As one of the other reviewers noted: 2 hours out of my life wasted.Anything positive to say? Phil Collins' song is good; the car chase is pretty good; the Mayans were phenomenal architects. Chichen Itza and Tulum are the most interesting characters in the film. Lastly, a noir-ish film star from an earlier era, Jane Greer, playing Ward's mother, shows that she aged gracefully.