BIG SHOTS

US, 1987, 94 minutes, Colour.
Ricky Busker, Darius Mc Crary, Robert Joy, Jerzy Skolimowski, Paul Winfield, Robert Prosky, Beah Richards, Joe Seneca.
Directed by Robert Mandel.

Big Shots is a story about children, race relationships and friendships with a Chicago setting. It has strong credits including producer Ivan Reitmann (Ghost Busters, Twins, Kindergarten Cop) and director Robert Mandel with writer Joe Eszterhas (Cutting Edge, Basic Instinct, Betrayed). Mandel and Eszterhas later collaborated on the Jean- Claude van Damme actioner, Nowhere to Run. There are also strong actors in the supporting cast including Robert Prosky as a dealer in second-hand goods in Chicago, Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski as a gangster, Paul Winfield as the sympathy dealer, Robert Joy as the associate of the gangster.

The film shows an affluent young white boy and his friendship with a street-wise black boy and their journey from Chicago to Louisiana to find the black boy’s father. The film is well made – probably more strongly made than the story and the issues demand.

1.Portrait of kids, growing up, black and white, rich and poor, the American city?

2.The Chicago settings, the contrast between the affluent white world and the world of the street for the blacks? The American road, the highway to Louisiana? The musical score?

3.The title, the focus on the boys, how they saw themselves? Adult role models?

4.The white boy, his family, the bond with his father, fishing, the gift of the watch? His father’s collapse, hospital, death? His mother’s grief? At home, lost in the street, his bike, asking the way, his being bashed and robbed? Jeremy coming to his help? The visit to the second-hand dealer and his double-dealing, the watch, the gun? The fights? Jeremy taking him to the bar, the protector, his home, going back to the dealer, threatening with the gun? His return home, the bond with Jeremy, their staying together, the apartment? Getting the car and deciding to run away?

5.Jeremy, background, size? Street-wise, sympathy towards the white boy, the bashing, the stealing of the bike? Going to his friend in the bar? On the beat, tough, the shops? The bond between the two? His stories about his family, wanting to find his father?

6.Jeremy taken to the home, the white boy seeking him out, finding the black man, getting him to pretend to be Jeremy’s father? Getting him out?

7.The irony of the gangster story, the murder, putting the corpse in the car? The boys taking the car? Their trying to track them down, the pursuit along the highway?

8.The adventures on the road, driving, hitchhikes, dangers, the gangsters and their threats, action and escapes?

9.The arrival in Louisiana, Jeremy finding his father, the reunion and reconciliation?

10.The happy ending, the boys and their experience, growing up, bonds breaking through racial barriers, class barriers?