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No Way Out [1987]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

This implausible, but effective 1987 film stars Kevin Costner (Bull Durham, Wyatt Earp) as a naval officer and CIA agent who may not be what he seems. This sexy thriller is an espionage mystery and an enigmatic character study of two men trying to be faithful to the loyalties they hold. Costner begins a torrid love affair with the mistress (Sean Young) of the Secretary of Defense, but when she turns up dead, Costner is implicated in a web of intrigue that threatens national security and exposes personal secrets at the highest levels. The Secretary and his men try to cover up the affair while simultaneously searching for a Soviet mole in their ranks. Featuring an exciting chase sequence through the Washington, D.C., subways, No Way Out is a standard issue thriller that nonetheless keeps the action coming. --Robert Lane


Framed with a twist
Review date: 2007-06-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

This film is a good mystery of an accidental death involving the Secretary of Defense that is swept under the rug and has a fine pairing of Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman. Sean Young, whose Susan Atwell is the mistress of jealous and controlling David Brice, finds herself falling for Costner's Lt. Commander Farrell and hopes for a way out of her affair with Brice but doesn't quite summon the resolve to break it off with him until he violently confronts her about spending a weekend with another man and demands to know that man's identity. Brice's Doberman-on-a-leash, Scott Pritchard, takes over at this point by orchestrating the cover-up, contaminating the crime scene, tampering with evidence to absolve Brice of any blame, and to implicate a phantom Russian mole in the young woman's accident. Most of the film takes place in the Pentagon, where Farrell is charged with solving the mystery of what happened in Ms. Atwell's apartment that night. There are a couple of goons assigned to keep an eye on Farrell, and one chase scene is lengthy and protracted which doesn't resolve anything and seems rather pointless. Farrell's real threat is the evil, calculating Pritchard, in a part that is a bit overdone by Will Patton. Costner makes a fine hero, with his clean-cut looks and low-key demeanor and Hackman is great as the amoral and abusive Defense Secretary who insists on keeping Ms. Atwell on a very short leash.
Watch out for the ending...Twist and Shout !!!

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Reviews


Not all remakes are a bad idea
Review date: 2007-02-07 Rating: 8 out of 10

No Way Out is an excellent reworking of The Big Clock, moved from a 1940s publishing building to the Pentagon of the 1980s, with Kevin Costner charged with finding the killer of his girlfriend, who also happens to be the Defense Secretary's mistress, with all the clues leading to a fall guy who'll never live long enough to be charged: himself. Despite a few very Eighties moments (seduction in the back of a Limo to the accompaniment of a forgettable power ballad the most laughable), it's still a well crafted thriller that cranks up the tension even if it has a couple of overly obvious moments. And there's no way you can tell me that Will Patton's increasingly obsessive gay assistant to Hackman's politico isn't clearly the model for the fawning Smithers in The Simpsons.

MGM/UA's DVD has a good widescreen transfer, but the only extra is a brief trailer.

A great surprise!
Review date: 2006-11-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

One of my managers recommended this DVD (cheers Jamie!) and I watched it knowing this was one of his favourite films.

I was initially tempted to get the ZX Spectrum down from the loft after the cheesy eighties fontage and music that kicks off with the start of the film.

Kevin Costner's character starts a passionate relationship with a woman who happens to end up to be his new politically high ranking commander - it's here that you start to think that this is going to be a predticable 'triangle of love' romance film.

But then [spoiler alert!] the film changes direction when she is killed (by said politically high ranking commander) and Costner's character plays a lead in the investigation. He is tasked with finding the man she was seeing (who is to be framed as a murderous Soviet spy) but nobody knows it was actually him she was involved with.

The film becomes addictive and the title becomes apparent when he ends up trapped in the pentagon with time running out, there are many stomach clenching moments when it looks as though he is going to be found out and the film feels gloriously claustrophobic.

Cheesy synth music and dated graphic artwork can't overshadow the genious plot and flawless acting demonstrated in this film. The unexpected twist at the end is the cherry on this cold-war-cake.

Thanks Jamie - you introduced me to a classic.

"You have no idea what men of power can do"
Review date: 2004-12-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Sean Young, Iman, Gene Hackman. Costner plays a Naval Officer (Farrell) working a tour in Intelligence at the Pentagon. He's having an affair with the mistress of the Secretary of State for Defence. Then she turns up dead, and Farrell finds himself in charge of the investigation to find her killer - only he's the one in the frame. Very competent, understated thriller: a welcome break from the hysterical spy films of today. Gene Hackman (as the SecState) and Will Patton (his Special Counsel) both lend solid support. The best Costner film I've seen.

classy thriller
Review date: 2003-09-02 Rating: 10 out of 10

Costner's naval officer Farrell cuts a dash in this fast-moving tale of cold war protocol and cover-up.A deftly-woven plot draws you into the cat and mouse chase,with Farrell assigned to find his lover's killer.Hackman's Brice is Secretary of Defence,and it transpires, also her ex-lover and accidental killer.And the fall guy is a concocted Russian spy.Fast pace and a few suprises in this immensely watchable "eighties" thriller.There's a twist at the end that will blow your mind.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Howard Duff
Kevin Costner
Gene Hackman
Will Patton
Sean Young

Creators:
Kevin Costner (Primary Contributor)
Gene Hackman (Primary Contributor)
John Alcott (Cinematographer)
Glenn Neufeld (Producer)
Laura Ziskin (Producer)
Mace Neufeld (Producer)
Robert Garland (Producer)
Robert Garland (Writer)
Kenneth Fearing (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070003642
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, Full Screen, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2001-01-08
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 119 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1987-08-14
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Dubbed)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)

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