Prior to starring in the hard-edged 1983 drama Bad Boys, Sean Penn had proven his early promise in the TV movie The Killing of Randy Webster, played a memorable supporting role in Taps (with fellow newcomer Tom Cruise), a... more »nd created the definitive California surfer dude as the perpetually stoned Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But it was Bad Boys that cemented Penn's reputation as a rare talent--an actor whose skill transcended his youth, revealing a depth and maturity that the majority of his acting peers could only aspire to. That gravity and emotional dimension is evident throughout Penn's performance here as Mick O'Brien, a chronic offender whose path to a Chicago juvenile corrections facility seems utterly preordained. The institution is hardly conducive to reformation--it's a jail for problem kids, and a cauldron for all the societal ills that sent kids there in the first place. Mick's there because he was involved in a shootout during a botched robbery of drugs from rival street gangster Paco Moreno (Esai Morales), whose little brother was killed when Mick accidentally ran him over with his getaway car. Overcrowding results in Mick and Paco's being sent to the same facility (one of the film's few stretches of credibility), and this leads to a rather predictable showdown that will take the juvie prison's violence to its inevitable extreme. It's a shame this conclusion ultimately doesn't live up to the film's superior first hour, but Bad Boys remains a remarkably authentic, even touching portrait of troubled youth whose torment is conveyed through thoughtful and richly emotional development of characters. Director Rick Rosenthal (who had previously helmed Halloween II) maintains a vivid sense of setting within the correctional facility's cold walls, and through the performances of Penn and a superb supporting cast (including Ally Sheedy in her film debut as Mick's girlfriend), Bad Boys emerges as one of the best films of its kind, forcing the viewer to ask difficult questions about at-risk youth and the proper way to improve or at least preserve their endangered lives. --Jeff Shannon« less
I knew someone in prison and he told me stories about life in there. He said this pretty much close to the truth !
Movie Reviews
THE FIGHTING IRISH
B. Fitzgerald | salem, or | 09/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It is a shame that nowadays when you ask someone if they have seen Bad Boys they automaticaly think of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence because the 1983 Bad Boys is far superior to the later Bad Boys movie.
Set almost entirly inside the claustophobic boy's prison, this movie is one of Penn's best performances, and that is saying alot.
Penn quickly rises throgh the ranks in the prison and overcomes alot of adversity to become the top dog, and soon learns that earned respect is a sweet thing."
Approach this dvd with caution
Alkaline | FL, USA | 02/18/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The film is great, but those of you who already own the original Anchor Bay dvd which as been available for years dvd should be weary, since this is just a repackaging. As many of you know, Starz bought out Anchor Bay awhile back, so the re-release and new packaging reflects that. No new features or upgraded transfer--just the commentary and original trailer like on the AB disc."
The REAL Bad Boys
Mike | Colorado Springs, CO USA | 12/18/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This review is for the new uncut dvd of the 1983 movie called Bad Boys. Forget the one with Martin Lawrence and the plageurized title - this one's about REAL Bad Boys.
Whenever I see a TV schedule and notice Bad Boys in the lineup, it is almost always the 1995 Martin Lawrence movie - which I have never seen nor do I care to see. Now I have my own original Bad Boys dvd and I no longer have to worry about cable channels repeating the 1995 movie over and over while hardly acknowledging the better one. I refer to the 1983 movie for the rest of this review to avoid confusion - which happens when a few movie producing idiots decide to use the same name for a different movie.
There were only 2 left on the shelf, so I quickly grabbed this dvd at Best Buy the other day for $7.99. I heard about the first release of this film to dvd that came out a few years ago where some were saying that there were scenes cut. This dvd that I am reviewing has the yellow strip across the top that says "uncut and uncensored" and it did not disappoint.
Scenes that had been previously missing from the previous vhs and dvd release have been restored. O'Brien's mom tells him to turn down the radio - and he turns it up (the song is Everybody Wants You by Billy Squire), Paco's friends stare at Allie Sheedy as she was on the L train, and Sheedy identifies Paco in a police lineup. But the the most significant restoration is where Tweety is shown driving off in a red van with his friends after he is let out (and he gives a middle fingered salute to the boys in the pen). This is key in explaining one of the film's supporting characters.
I recommend this dvd to everyone who enjoyed it back in the day. For those who haven't seen it yet - it's a cool and interesting jailhouse film that still holds up. Sean Penn plays the 17-year old anti-hero, but when he is faced with survival in a boy's prison you can't help but root for him. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars."
Why has this movie been edited?
John Milford | Stockton, CA United States | 07/09/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"One of my all-time favorites; saw it many times on HBO in the early 80's. However, the DVD that I recently purchased from a big retail store was strangely edited. I can recall at least 3 scenes that were completely omitted, for no apparent reason: 1) when Mick's girlfriend is picking out Paco Moreno from the police line-up; 2) when Tweety is released and picked-up by a vanload of his thug friends; and 3) when Mick gets to assign "sh-thouse" duties to Paco and Paco subsequently spits soda on the floor in front of him. There could be more scenes missing that I can't recall; it's been 15 years since I've seen it. However, all of those scenes add to the greatness of this film and I can't think of ANY reason for them to be cut. One of the great features of DVD is that you usually get MORE movie, not LESS. This DVD has absolutely NO extra features. But, I guess you get what you pay for...still a fantastic movie, with great performances by Sean Penn, Esai Morales, Clancy Brown, Reni Santoni and several others. Although the edits are disappointing, this is still well worth watching."
Finally-the Uncut Bad Boys!!!
skipmccoy | Los Angeles, CA USA | 09/23/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is fantastic! Now we can finally see the uncut version of Rick Rosenthal's gritty classic(in my opinion). When I think of Bad Boys, I always think of Sean Penn and Esai Morales. It's too bad that you have to clarify which film your speaking about when you mention it and lots of people have only seen Michael Bay's crappy movie of the same title. I have been waiting a long time for a nice special edition of this film. Now we get the film uncut(it was previously only available uncut on laserdisc) and a commentary! And cheap too! I love Anchor Bay!!!!!"