To Live and Die in L.A.

Play trailer

2:05

To Live and Die in L.A.

R

Now Playing

1h 56m

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William L. Petersen) vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe). Along with his new, straitlaced partner, John Vukovich (John Pankow), Chance sets up a scheme to entrap Masters, resulting in the accidental death of an undercover officer. As Chance's desire for justice becomes an obsession, Vukovich questions the lawless methods he employs.

Now in Theaters

Now Playing

Buy Tickets

Critics Consensus

With coke fiends, car chases, and Wang Chung galore, To Live and Die in L.A. is perhaps the ultimate '80s action/thriller.

Read Critics Reviews

Joe Clay

Times (UK)

The high point of the film is a stunning car chase, in which the agents drive against the flow of traffic on a busy six-lane freeway that is only surpassed by the one in Friedkin’s earlier masterpiece, The French Connection.

Feb 7, 2023

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

If Friedkin occasionally goes overboard, he certainly commands an attention-getting technique and manages to tell a fascinating story.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 22, 2021

Full Review

Catherine Rambeau

Detroit Free Press

Comparisons to TV's "Miami Vice" are probably inevitable because of the picture's look and sound track. But "To Live and Die in L.A." is hotter, faster, kinkier, and has better music.

Rated: 8/10

Aug 22, 2021

Full Review

Chris Ludovici

The Spool

It was a slam-bang thriller and a moody treatise on how truly lost we were.

Sep 25, 2023

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

William Friedkin shows why he was one of the best action filmmakers with cat and mouse thriller To Live and Die in L.A.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 15, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

There’s not really much substance here, but the film looks fantastic and showcases a grabber of a car chase.

Rated: 3/4

May 31, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jonathan O

Electrifying powerful exhilarating violent action crime thriller film ever with dynamic director William Friedkin with really outstanding cinematography it really feels like Miami Vice series but with a heat of the city of Los Angeles and really incredible cast and if you watched carefully there's a GTA vibe in this film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/19/24

Full Review

Jon G

A great movie, great acting, perhaps one of the best car chase scenes ever.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/01/24

Full Review

Gregory T

What an underrated gem. Amazing and stands the test of time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/20/24

Full Review

David H

I like old detective shows from the '60s and '70s, and this is sort of like those. Part of the fun was seeing familiar faces like John Turturro and Willem Dafoe in early roles. Otherwise, an old episode of Hawai'i Five-0 or the Rockwell Files are just as good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

Full Review

chris h

Underrated cop drama.... Dafoe playing the bad guy is awesome.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/01/24

Full Review

paul R

It has its flaws, but I could watch this movie every three months without fatigue. It is 80's to its core.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/25/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

William Friedkin

Director

William Petersen

Richard Chance

Willem Dafoe

Eric 'Rick' Masters

John Pankow

John Vukovich

Debra Feuer

Bianca Torres

John Turturro

Carl Cody

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Off Limits

45%

32%

Off Limits

Watchlist

Code of Silence

68%

51%

Code of Silence

Watchlist

Year of the Dragon

53%

53%

Year of the Dragon

Watchlist

No Mercy

31%

28%

No Mercy

Watchlist

Tequila Sunrise

53%

40%

Tequila Sunrise

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

To Live and Die in L.A.: Trailer 1

2:05

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William L. Petersen) vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe). Along with his new, straitlaced partner, John Vukovich (John Pankow), Chance sets up a scheme to entrap Masters, resulting in the accidental death of an undercover officer. As Chance's desire for justice becomes an obsession, Vukovich questions the lawless methods he employs.

Director: William Friedkin
Producer: Irving H. Levin
Screenwriter: William Friedkin, Gerald Petievich
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Vestron Video
Production Co: New Century Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 1, 1985, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.6M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)