To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
★★★½ — To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
William Friedkin arrived at To Live and Die in L.A. a decade on from the back-to-back triumphs of The French Connection (1971) and The Exorcist (1973), and his intervening years had been considerably rougher, with Sorcerer (1977) flopping badly and Cruising (1980) drawing protest and mixed notices. This 1985 picture, adapted from Gerald Petievich's novel (Petievich also co-wrote the screenplay, drawing on his own career as a Secret Service agent), represented something of a commercial and creative recalibration, shot on location across Los Angeles with a lean six-million-dollar budget and a cast of relative unknowns at the time, Petersen and Dafoe both still early in careers that would grow considerably. Wang Chung's entirely synthesised score gave the film a sound that was unmistakably mid-1980s, for better or worse.
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) is a neon-drenched, morally inverted crime thriller that doesn’t just capture the spirit of 1980s Los Angeles, it weaponizes it. Directed by William Friedkin at his most audacious, the film follows Richard Chance (William Petersen), a reckless, amoral Secret Service agent who’ll break every rule to take down a counterfeiter (Willem Dafoe, chillingly cool). What unfolds isn’t a hero’s journey but a descent into obsession, corruption, and self-destruction, and it’s all wrapped in one of the most visually intoxicating packages ever committed to celluloid. The cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking. Shot by Robby Müller (Paris, Texas, Down by Law), every frame looks like a sun-bleached pop-art painting, think Hiroshi Nagai meets Michael Mann. Palm trees glow against pastel skies, freeways shimmer in golden-hour haze, and downtown L.A. becomes a labyrinth of glass, steel, and shadow. It’s stylized without being artificial; the city isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a character, seductive and soulless. The cast is great: Petersen burns with manic intensity, John Pankow brings heart as his more grounded partner, and Dafoe oozes quiet menace. Add in Wang Chung’s pulsing synth-rock soundtrack (both diegetic and atmospheric) and you’ve got a sensory experience that’s as immersive as it is unsettling. Also.. that car chase is up there with the best. A masterclass in style with substance to match. Friedkin doesn’t moralize; he observes, implicates, and leaves you rattled. Not just a great ‘80s film, but one of the most underrated American crime films, period. Gritty, gorgeous, and gloriously amoral. To watch it is to fall into L.A.’s glittering trap, and love every second of it.
Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 1985 | Watched: 2026-02-15
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: MGM Plus Amazon Channel
Rent: Apple TV Store · Amazon Video
Buy: Apple TV Store · Amazon Video
Physical: Amazon UK
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Where to watch (UK)
Stream: MGM Plus Amazon Channel
Rent: Apple TV Store · Amazon Video
Buy: Apple TV Store · Amazon Video
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from William Friedkin: Cruising (1980) · The French Connection (1971) · Killer Joe (2011) · The Exorcist (1973)
More with William L. Petersen: Manhunter (1986)
More from the 1980s: Nightmare City (1980) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Style Wars (1983) · Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
More crime: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Angst (1983) · Stolen Face (1952) · Cairo Station (1958)
More thriller: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Angst (1983) · The Long Walk (2025) · Punishment Park (1971)
