| My Bodyguard | | Cast : | Chris Makepeace, Adam Baldwin | | Director : | Tony Bill | | Studio : | Twentieth Century Fox | | Format : | Color, Dolby, Widescreen, Closed-captioned | | Released Date : | September 26, 1980 | | DVD Released Date : | March 11, 2003 | | Language : | French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 25, 2005 | | Summary | Adam Baldwin and Matt Dillon were amazing even in their youth | Content
 | I saw this movie as a kid and as a result had tons of "Ricky Linderman" type friends. To this day I wonder if the movie had something to do with that.
The movie centers around a small young boy who starts attending a public school in the near north side of Chicago. He is bullied by Melvin Moody (played by a young Matt Dillon, who excells in this role) and must pay Melvin his lunch money to avoid getting beaten up.
Ricky Linderman (Character actor Adam Baldwin in his first role) is the tall awkward kid who wears army parkas and who has lots of rumours circling about.
The movie gets going when the main character hires Ricky Linderman to become his bodyguard. Suddenly, Melvin Moody isn't so cool in the eyes of everyone else, and even the nerdiest of nerds are no longer afraid of him.
That taken care of, the main character spends his time trying to help Ricky with his woes, including his personal demon haunted past, and his dream of assembling a motorcycle from spare parts.
The two become great friends and overcome adversity.
The peak of this movie occurs by the lake in Humbold Park Chicago, and ends with a tremendous line about broken noses.
This movie is great for fans of either Adam Baldwin or of Matt Dillon, or for anyone who has a thing for movies about Chicago. It's also got something for those fans of the old afterschool specials, 1980's movies about high schools, and for those who have a personal connection to Humbold Park. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 18, 2005 | | Summary | A really great movie | Content
| I wont go into a synopsis because that has already been done in many reviews here. There really is no bad acting in this movie. It is either good or great. Also, the storyline is very realistic and down to earth which in a way served to make me feel like a silent participant in the film.
I remember reading the book in 4th grade which was adapted from the movie. I finally saw the movie some years later and it really was like another viewer said, opening a time capsule. Not only opening a time capsule for me personally, but also a time capsule for life in general in 1980. Tt was a much different world then. Not many movies do that for me. The bad part is it makes me realize how old I am getting and how fast that is happening.
Anyway, it is a great movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 27, 2004 | | Summary | An old favorite | Content
| It had always been a favorite of mine so I recently revisited this over the Holiday Season and am glad to say it still is very enjoyable. As many kids did when they were young, I went through having to deal with a bully so maybe this is why I can identify with this movie and understand that getting though High School is hard enough without having to deal with this type of crap.
Intersting to see Adam Baldwin, who still works allot, and even Chris Makepeace and Joan Cusack, the former which dropped off the face of the earth and Joan who you still see frequently. Didn't remember Ruth Gordon being in it but she was a joy to see as well. Matt Dillion the heavy in many of films in the 80s does a great job here because I hate him so much. Definitely recommend this to everyone. |
| Rating | | | Date | November 02, 2004 | | Summary | Little Movie With Enormous Heart | Content
| My Bodyguard is an absolute joy of a film. When it came out 24 years ago my friends and I went to see it about 5-6 times. I'd not seen it in 24 years until recently purchasing it. Watching it was like opening a time capsule: everything was still fresh and true with tremendous performances from a terrific ensemble cast.
The standout performance belongs to Adam Baldwin. 17 when this was filmed, Baldwin's performance is nothing short of astonishing. His Linderman is classic "tough guy" on the outside, frightened loner beneath the surface. Properly fearful looking (the whole school is scared of this guy) Baldwin nonetheless makes it impossible for you not to feel for this kid and when, out of his greasy, shapeless clothes and cleaned up and dressed for dinner at the hotel, his smile and demeanor
Chris Makepeace shines as the tale's protagonist, Clifford and his persistence in courting friendship with Linderman is a turning point in the film: a bond is formed, and people start opening up. When, at dinner a secret Linderman is embarassed of surfaces, Cliff's Grandma holds his arm and says "You're among friends, Ricky, you're among friends"
As that Grandma, Ruth Gordon is simultaneously touching and predictably hilarious ("Bats, bats!") whether getting tipsy and flirting with married guests or dispensing relationship advice to her grandson ("never hit a woman . . . men think they want that but they're wrong!" )
One forgets how young and fresh Matt Dillon, Joan Cusack were when they started and both are terrific here. Many other recognizable faces and names pop up throughout the movie.
What a really terrific little movie this is!
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| Rating | | | Date | September 14, 2004 | | Summary | ..AND SO BEGINS THE EIGHTIES.... | Content
| As the seventies slipped into the eighties,We as a generation were surrendering the innocence of Benji,The Love Bug, and Witch Mountain to the harsh realities of cliques,bullies and class lines--the banes of our adolecent existence.Filmed several years before teen films would become as much about their soundtracks as they were their content,this is an outstanding example of a coming-of-age film done right.Filled with actors rather than stars portraying characters rather than stereotypes.It manages to hit it's mark,simply and quietly.Sure, the production is dated,but it's message is timeless.A great film to pop in when your child has had a bad day at school to show that,Yes we've all been there and we all get through it! |
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