No Man's Land (1987)

Pretty Good

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I hate to praise Charlie Sheen, but I must.He played this role so perfectly, that I forgot I was watching a movie. I know that's a cliché by now, but it applies.You know the plot from the other reviews. Boyish undercover cop infiltrates a mechanic shop and befriends the owner, whom he is assigned to tail. That's because he is a suspected car thief and murderer.Think "Point Break" here, only 4 years earlier. A charismatic bad boy, sucks a peer into his criminal world, and the peer is actually in law enforcement.If you love 80s movies set amidst the glitz of 80s L.A., with fancy cars and classic obscure 80s dance tunes thrown in, you will love this one.I couldn't help envying the adventure that the D.B. Sweeney character was having. Nothing exciting ever happens to me. He gets introduced to the world of "the rich and aimless," gets a brother-like best friend who gives him money and lavish gifts, and he falls in love with a beautiful rich girl.There were a couple of authenticity problems I have to mention. The Sweeney character was supposed to be a 22 year old rookie, yet he was working undercover. Wouldn't that be a bit advanced for him? He was not a detective. But I guess they had to use him, because of his mechanical acumen with Porsches.Also, in order to get hired as a Porsche mechanic, wouldn't he have to show that he passed certification classes? Having just worked on some old cars in his driveway, would he really be skilled enough to work with professional foreign car mechanics, without taking any courses?The Randy Quaid character was a little comic-bookie, or over-the-top angry, but I guess they had to establish the tension between him and the rookie.The final showdown will again remind you of "Point Break." Enjoy it. This is definitely a guy's movie.

Despite starring Charlie Sheen, who has been hot for the past several years from starring in a top-rated sitcom, "No Man's Land" seems to have been all but forgotten. In fact, I have NEVER seen this movie broadcast on television - I had to rent this over the Internet to see it.Before seeing it, I thought that maybe since the movie was rated "R", that's why I had never seen it on television. But to my surprise, the "R" rating for this movie seems a bit harsh. There's no nudity, no (onscreen) sex, there are only a few utterances of the harshest swear words (which could easily be overdubbed), and the limited violence on display could easily be shown on a television drama. The movie feels more like a PG-13.The above is a big clue as to why I felt this movie didn't work. It's lacking grit - it feels bland and without passion. At times it feels like it was made for television. It's not only with the direction, but with the performances as well - none of the actors here seem to be very enthusiastic, and the only thing colorful about them is Randy Quaid's weird hairstyle.One positive thing I can say about the movie is that unlike other '80s movies, this one hasn't dated that much. But that is not enough to save the movie.P.S. - MGM's DVD of the movie is pretty bad. Not only is the movie presented full-frame, and using what seems to be an older print not made especially for this DVD, the colors frequently seem off somewhat.

D.B. Sweeney stars as Benjy Taylor in this late eighties film about an under-cover cop trying to infiltrate and break up a ring of thieves who are stealing cars. He befriends young Ted Varrick (Charlie Sheen) and begins to slide into the world of fast cars and high-speed thrills. Lara Harris plays Ted's sister Ann who begins to cloud Benjy's judgment when his feelings for her get in the way. "No Man's Land" also stars Randy Quaid as Lieutenant Vincent Bracey.Whether or not director Peter Werner wanted to make a moral dilemma film, he ended up in a dilemma himself by turning a good idea into an average film, with OK performances from all. The film either needed a more serious approach or more work on characterisation.Friday, March 8, 1991 - Video

This is one of Ron Howard's first movies as a director, if not the first. There is little wonder why he has become so popular.I have watched No Man's Land in excess of 20 times. It is still one of my favorites. It has a solid cast, an excellent script, and great car chase scenes (with Porsches) that make this movie a winner.Do yourself a favor and watch it. The cars and music are dated but, like watching Bullitt with Steve McQueen, the movie is well put together so you just get absorbed in along with the characters.Charlie Sheen is charismatic and exiting. Brad Pitt apparently is in the movie as a waiter, but I have yet to notice him. Maybe I'll throw it in again and see if i can spot him.