Rent To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
3.5 of 5 from 169 ratings
1h 51min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Full of flash, style and grit, this raw tale of corruption and revenge features one of the most harrowing car chases ever caught on film and a shockingly explosive ending. Federal Agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) has a score to settle, and he's through playing by the rules. Whether that means blackmailing a beautiful parolee, disobeying direct orders or hurtling the wrong way down a crowded freeway, he vows to take down a murderous counterfeiter (Willem Dafoe) by any means necessary. But as the stakes grow higher, will chance's obsession with vengeance ultimately destroy him?
- Actors:
- William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Pankow, Debra Feuer, John Turturro, Darlanne Fluegel, Dean Stockwell, Steve James, Robert Downey Sr., Michael Greene, Christopher Allport, Jack Hoar, Valentin de Vargas, Dwier Brown, Michael Chong, Jacqueline Giroux, Michael Zand, Bobby Bass, Dar Robinson, Anne Betancourt
- Directors:
- William Friedkin
- Producers:
- Irving H. Levin
- Writers:
- Gerald Petievich, William Friedkin
- Aka:
- Vivir y morir en Los Ángeles
- Studio:
- MGM
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Drama, Thrillers
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 21/11/2016
- Run Time:
- 116 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary by director and co-writer William Friedkin
- Taking a Chance, a brand-new interview with actor William Petersen
- Doctor for a Day, a brand-new interview with actor Dwier Brown
- Renaissance Woman in L.A., a brand-new interview with Debra Feuer
- So In Phase: Scoring To Live and Die in L.A., a brand-new interview with composers Wang Chung
- Wrong Way: The Stunts of To Live and Die in L.A., a brand-new interview with stunt co-ordinator Buddy Joe Hooker
- Counterfeit World: The Making of To Live and Die in LA, an archive featurette containing interviews with Friedkin, actors Petersen and Willem Dafoe, and others
- Alternative Ending
- Deleted Scene
- Stills Gallery
- Trailers
- Radio Spot
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 06/07/2026
- Run Time:
- 116 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing
- DVD Regions:
- Region 0 (All)
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Audio commentary by director and co-writer William Friedkin
- Taking a Chance, an archive interview with actor William Petersen
- Doctor for a Day, an archive interview with actor Dwier Brown
- Renaissance Woman in L.A., an archive interview with Debra Feuer
- So In Phase: Scoring 'To Live and Die in L.A.', an archive interview with composers Wang Chung
- Wrong Way: The Stunts of 'To Live and Die in L.A.', an archive interview with stunt co-ordinator Buddy Joe Hooker
- Counterfeit World: The Making of 'To Live and Die in L.A.', an archive featurette containing interviews with Friedkin, actors Petersen and Willem Dafoe, and others
- Alternative ending
- Deleted scene
- Stills gallery
- Trailers
- Radio spot
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Reviews (3) of To Live and Die in L.A.
High energy 1980s cop thriller - To Live and Die in L.A. review by CD
I thoroughly enjoyed this film which exceeded my expectations from the reviews I had read. It is not overly violent for its 18 rating. The acting and characterisation are good and the soundtrack is terrific in a 1980s way. There are some absorbing scenes with Dafoe doing the counterfeiting and a top notch car chase towards the end. William Petersen as the lead is impressively gritty. There is also some tongue in cheek humour with for example a running chase in which the crook asks the cop why he is chasing him and the cop replies “because you are running away!’ The ending is a satisfying finale.
4 out of 4 members found this review helpful.
Fake It Till You Forget Who You Are - To Live and Die in L.A. review by griggs
To Live and Die in L.A. is a sharp, cynical thriller where no one comes out clean. Friedkin ditches sentiment for style, pairing striking visuals with a pulsing Tangerine Dream soundtrack. The plot moves fast, driven by moral ambiguity and a sense that corruption spreads like wildfire. The car chase is a standout—almost as gripping as The French Connection—and the decision to kill off the lead mid-film is bold and unsentimental. As a bridge between classic noir and modern thrillers, it’s tense, stylish, and oddly prescient. In this world, survival means faking it better than everyone else.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Excellent Crime Thriller - To Live and Die in L.A. review by GI
Director William Friedkin's forgotten masterpiece. His fall from grace after the breathtaking originality of The French Connection (1971) and The Exorcist (1973) was due, possibly, to his over inflated ego, but this hi-octane cop thriller is one of the best in the buddy cop genre. Whereas many films in this category add great dollops of comedy Friedkin effectively deconstructs the buddy cop narrative to create an intricate, gritty and at times enigmatic film that boasts a fantastic seven minute car chase that arguably out 'chases' the one in The French Connection. Influenced heavily by the style of the TV series Miami Vice this is a story of US Secret Service agents investigation into counterfeiting. When his partner is murdered Agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) vows to get the man behind the killing, arch counterfeiter Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe). With a new partner in tow Chance pushes the boundaries of right and wrong when he plans to rob a crooked diamond merchant in order to fund an undercover operation to catch Masters. The violence here comes suddenly and shockingly and the plot has some very big surprises. With the adrenaline filled car chase and a film that twists loyalties and plays with sexuality this is one of the finest crime thrillers of modern times and certainly of the 1980s. Fast paced, exciting and gutsy this is highly recommended if you've never seen it.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.