Neo-noir films have evolved over the years, but To Live and Die in L.A. remains in a league of its own. Part of that is thanks to one of the most intense car chases ever put to film. The film dives into a world of crime where obsession overshadows reason, and revenge is just another part of the job. Directed by William Friedkin, To Live and Die in L.A. follows Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen), who is willing to risk everything to take down a ruthless counterfeiter, Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe).
Fans of Willem Dafoe should definitely check this out. Although it’s one of his earliest roles, he delivers a chilling performance as the charismatic yet brutal villain. The film’s stylish cinematography and morally complex characters make it a must-watch for anyone who appreciates a good crime thriller that doesn’t exactly follow the rules. Nearly four decades later, it remains an underrated masterpiece that deserves another moment in the spotlight.
‘To Live and Die in L.A.’ Wouldn’t Be The Same Without Willem Dafoe’s Cold-Blooded Ruthlessness
Everyone loves a great villain. They contribute the necessary life to narratives that a hero just can’t pull off on their own. Whether it’s in a sci-fi, drama, or let’s say, a 1985 neo-noir crime film. Needless to say, a good bad guy makes any story better, and Willem Dafoe hits a homerun in To Live and Die in L.A. The movie follows Secret Service agent Richard Chance, a maverick risk-taker who becomes obsessed with avenging his killed partner. His focus? Eric Masters, a skilled forger played by Dafoe, whose operation is so tight that getting him is almost impossible. As Chance moves further into the criminal world, more than happy to bend or break the law himself, the film degenerates into a cold-blooded and lethal game in which the difference between lawman and outlaw grows dangerously thin. Dafoe’s portrayal of Masters is what turns the film into something other than a run-of-the-mill crime thriller.
His violence is in full display from the beginning when he executes Richard Chance’s partner, Jimmy Hart, in a cold-blooded killing. It’s there that he sets the tone for the rest of the movie. Whereas the stereotypical hot-tempered criminal would act on impulse, Master makes every move with precision and evil swagger. For instance, when his mule, Carl Cody, was arrested, Master tried to get him killed while in jail. His methods of forgery are as precise, his production of fake money is so fine that even the authorities struggle to keep up. But, make no mistake, he’s not greedy. Take the scene when he simply sat and watched his own work go up in flames without a qualm as the fire consumes what to most is irreplaceable. Money doesn’t matter to him… power does. This sums up his clinical, calculating nature and complete absence of feeling. Without Dafoe, To Live and Die in L.A. would still be a solid crime thriller, but it would be apparent that something, or someone, is missing.
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Not Many Crime Thrillers Tackle Obsession And Revenge Quite Like ‘To Live And Die In L.A’
Obsession and revenge have been the driving force behind some of the greatest crime thrillers of all time. There’s something intriguing about watching a character get so caught up in their obsessive mind that they lose their sense of everything else. Films like Heat explore this in depth, digging into the way personal vendettas can warp both criminals and law enforcers alike. With that in mind, there is no clear sense of good and bad in To Live and Die in L.A., only shades of corruption. So-called heroes bend the rules so much that you find yourself eventually questioning whether they’re any better than the perps they’re chasing. Justice gives way in this fictional world, so does personal obsession, and the need for revenge becomes the only thing that matters.
This is exactly where Richard Chance stands. When his partner is murdered, his thirst for revenge turns him into the same monster he’s fighting to destroy. He breaks every moral rule, stealing and even turning to murder just to get closer to the man responsible. That man, Eric Masters, is no less merciless, he’s a criminal whose arrogance and brutality make him almost unbeatable. As such, their struggle isn’t crime versus law, it’s a matter of two obsessive forces colliding. All in all, it’s safe to say that not many crime dramas can convincingly present the kind of raw, uncensored fall into obsession and vengeance as To Live and Die in L.A.
Step into a gritty game of cat and mouse in To Live and Die in L.A., now streaming on Prime Video.
