A very violent Thriller where paid assassin James Woods doesn't just kill the target he's been hired to eliminate. He pumps extra bullets into them after they're dead. In fact, he seems to have a severe problem with the pleasure of killing, and if it weren't for the fact that he needed police officer / novelist Brian Dennehy, he'd probably take great pleasure in knocking him off too. That being said, this is a gripping action film where Dennehy finds himself victimized by Woods who wants him to write his life story, then finds himself involved in a plot by former colleagues of Woods who want the manuscript.

This does keep you engaged, but there's a lot of pointless ugly violence, and a scene involving Dennehy's agent, Victoria Tennant, who was also victimized by Woods and must lay on her bed in a negligee simply so Woods can tell her off for her privilege as he destroys her wardrobe while the camera all goals for body. Dennehy's daughter is also victimized by this plotline, another unnecessary subplot. There is a sudden revelation about Woods and his previous relationship to Dennehy that comes out of the blue and adds one of the best plot points to the film, so you get to view a love/hate relationship between these two characters. Woods isn't sympathetic at all, but his performance is chilling. Dennehy as usual, delivers a strong, commanding performance where you can help but like him. But overall, this is just your average 80's thriller, hardly any different done the hundreds of others from this time. Good enough though for an afternoon or evening popcorn filled cinematic thrills.

What would have happened to Joseph Wambaugh, the LAPD cop and author of several well-known police novels, including "The New Centurions", if he burned himself out and had no more to write? Maybe he would have been approached by a burned out hit man for a corrupt organization. The hit man might have wanted his homicidal shenanigans revealed in a tell-all book that would have glorified him and led to the conviction of the organization's chief miscreant. The partnership would have been edgy, filled with conflict, and dangerous as hell.

That's basically the plot of this film. Brian Dennehy is the burned out cop who is suspended temporarily from the force. This is a recurring ritual point in these films. Only in this case, instead of turning in his shield and gun, Dennehy suggests sick leave and it is happily given him. The steely hit man is James Woods, unflappable under any circumstances. The head of the mob is Paul Shenar, my supporting player in the art house masterpiece entitled "Raw Deal" with Ahnold Braunschweiger.

The screenplay tries to make something of the Doppelganger theme but, to the extent that it's there at all, it's a shadow of its usual self. Dennehy and Woods have nothing in common except that their inspiration has flagged. Dennehy doesn't mind being a cop but he seems to have written himself out. Woods is bitter because he's just been fired and replaced and is looking for revenge. One doesn't represent the other's repressed desires, which is the touchstone of the Doppelganger business, as it was in, say, Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jeykll and Mister Hyde," or in MGM's "Forbidden Planet." But they tacked it on anyway, I suppose in an attempt to lend some weightier symbolism to what is basically a cop thriller and shoot-'em-up. There's a good deal of sneaking around in the dark, often with drawn pistols. There's a threatened wife and a kidnapped teen-aged daughter. Shenar is surrounded by well-groomed thugs, all of them killed by the team of Dennehy and Woods.

There are some original touches. A cornered thug is threatened with a silenced pistol by Woods, who makes some wisecrack. "Why don't you skip the insults and just get it over with," says the goon, the kind who is usually faceless, and Woods immediately shoots him without another word. Just for a few seconds, the dialog allowed that henchman to emerge from the primordial stereotypical functionality that this role always demands. For a few seconds, he was more than just another bad guy to be killed in the complete absence of any distinction.

That's about it. It must not have taken much effort to give the doomed gunman that line. (Maybe it was even an accident, just left in the script because it was overlooked.) Yet it would have been nice to have as much thought given to the rest of the script.

Dennehy is his reliable, bulky self. Woods is jumpy and talks at a rapid clip, kind of at odds with the character. He does his best to tone himself down but as an actor he carries a lot of baggage with him and we can't forget that under this icy calm exterior there's a whole nother James Woods aching to bust out.

In sum: Not bad, but pretty much middling.

A good cast, James Woods in particular, and an intriguing premise were the main reasons for seeing 'Best Seller'. Seeing it a few days ago, 'Best Seller' turned out to be a good film with many great things with a few elements that bring it down somewhat.

Woods himself is the film's best asset. Everything about him in 'Best Seller' is just mesmerising to watch, he epitomises cool, charisma and intensity. Brian Dennehy is dependably solid as rocks, a great performance that is more than up to Woods' level. Another reason why 'Best Seller' works as well as it does is the chemistry between Dennehy and Woods, which is electric. Paul Shenar has somewhat of a standard role but he brings an intimidating unscrupulousness that makes him effective in it. Victoria Tennant is good.

'Best Seller' has a stylish and gritty visual look that makes it aesthetically pleasing. Larry Cohen takes a break from the quirky horror that he is better known for and shows that he is just as deft in thriller with a witty, intelligent and sharply observed script. John Flynn directs with the right amount of tension, keeping things at a brisk pace, not losing the effectiveness of the visual style and is pretty nifty with the action. The action is not tame, pretty hard-edged actually, neither is it gratuitous.

For all 'Best Seller's' excellent things, there are short-comings. The music score is tacky and is stylistically at odds with the film. For a film that did such a good job with its atmosphere, 'Best Seller' was deserving of a much better ending than the rushed and too pat and safe one here.

While a vast majority of the cast are fine, there is one exception...that exception is a rather annoying Alison Balson.

Overall, a good film that sells well. 7/10 Bethany Cox