Friday 28 April 2023

BITE-SIZED: Best Seller (John Flynn, 1987)

Retired cop Dennis Meechum (Brian Dennehy) has become a successful novelist.


Struggling with writer's block, he is presented with a fresh source of inspiration:


A professional hitman (James Woods) wants him to write his biography. 


It's an offer too good to refuse... 



I heard about this film years ago, but it took years to find it. It remains a cult film, mostly for fans of screenwriter Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Q The Winged Serpent, Phone Booth), and is worth tracking down.


Directed with brutal functionality by veteran genre helmer John Flynn (Rolling Thunder, Out For Justice), Best Seller is a chilly, simmering execution of its concept. 


The film's heat comes from the combustible dynamic between its two leads.


Brian Dennehy brings a weary credibility to the role of cop-turned-author Dennis Meechum. 


James Woods was a horrible human being. It is always remarkable to me how compelling he is playing onscreen creeps. He brings his usual slithery appeal to the cold-blooded killer Cleve, giving only slight touches of the character's explosive rage. 


A well-cast two-hander, Best Seller works as an inversion of a buddy comedy - our lead characters come together, fall apart and are forced together by a desire to destroy each other. 


The twist is not meant to be a shock - it is fairly obvious that Woods and Dennehy have had previous history, and that history acts as a ticking time bomb as Meechum is lured deeper into the assassin’s confidences.


Despite a muddled third act, Best Seller is a unique proposition boosted by solid performances from its leads. If you can find it, is worth a look.


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