Support NeoGAF

[LegendOfKage]

I'm thinking of a movie. It co-stars a rather young looking Samuel L. Jackson, and it's set in the 90s. In this movie, Jackson meets a young white woman who has memory issues. Even without the knowledge of who she really is, she proves herself more capable than any man who threatens her life or gets in her way. But once she remembers her real identity, she becomes a true force of destruction.

Jackson, on the other hand, is completely outmatched by her abilities. When compared to what she can do, he seems almost useless. He exists mainly to help her remember her past, and just how powerful she really is.

Can you guess what movie this is?

Spoiler

It's The Long Kiss Goodnight, and it's one of my favorite action movies from the 90s. If the above sounds like it could be the plot of a fun movie, then I suggest checking it out.

Did you guess right?

 

[Cunth]

pulp fiction

 

[LegendOfKage]

pulp fiction

Mia Wallace was The Bride from Kill Bill all along! I knew it!

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Jurassic Park

 

[LegendOfKage]

Jurassic Park

No, that doesn't seem to work.

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Goodfellas

 

[EviLore]

Shane Black knows how to write 'em.

Geena Davis has two personalities in this flick: the happy mild mannered teacher, wife, and mom, and the badass killer spy. As her amnesia starts to subside her psyche enters a state of turmoil and conflict, because both sides are legitimately her, but struggle to coexist due to their polar opposition. She and her family are in danger, so the badass killer asserts dominance and shoves the teacher aside, but as we go on this journey with her we see her realize that her family ties fill an emptiness in her that her sarcastic, solitary hard-ass facade can't (and, in fact, is clearly afraid of on some level).

Sam Jackson plays the sidekick in this one, but he has his own agency and moments to shine. As their relationship evolves, he grapples with Geena's dark side, eventually taking on a paternal, protective role for the sake of Geena's character and her daughter, and elevates from a kind of seedy no one to a heroic figure in his own right.

The conflict resolves by Geena saving the day, but more importantly reconciling the two personas and accepting the love for her daughter (if not her beta husband).

The action scenes are pretty fucking great, the banter is hilarious, and the one liners are classic Shane Black. Geena pairs kill shots with lines that would be at home with Ahnold or Bruce Willis, and does them with vigor and vitriol, totally convincingly.

What a contrast to Captain Dogshit. Can you imagine the 2019 version of this?

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Oh I get it.

Captain Marvel!

I win!

 

[Mr Hyde]

Long Kiss Goodnight is one of the best action movies of the 90s and the best movie in both Geena Davis and Renny Harlins respective filmography. Renny was a pretty solid action director at the time. One thing that always stood out to me more than his well directed set pieces and action scenes, was his constant little PR he did for Koskenkorva, a popular finnish vodka. I guess he wanted to inject a little bit of that finnish flavour of his. I thought it was funnier than him doing clichéd "Hitchcock"-styled cameos that every director seems to like. Too bad Geena and Renny tanked their careers with that pirate film I can´t remember right now.

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Shane Black's writing credentials are pretty interesting to me. He wrote some awesome flicks, and some not so awesome ones. I guess some people loved The Predator and Iron Man 3 (I hated it at first, but grew to appreciate it a little bit more as time went on).

In all seriousness to the OP, Long Kiss Goodnight was one of my favorite movies when I was younger. Very memorable. Probably my favorite Geena Davis performance (loved the blond look).

 

[Airola]

One of the better Renny Harlin films!

 

[slugbahr]

Sounds like...
Deep Blue Sea.
Classic Jackson!

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Sounds like...
Deep Blue Sea.
Classic Jackson!

I heard they used a real shark here too

(lolz)

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

Formula 51, the movie where he wore a kilt.

 

[slugbahr]

Formula 51, the movie where he wore a kilt.

No, you're thinking of Braveheart.

 

[reggie]

.

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

It's a classic, but I never hear people mention it for some reason. At risk of sounding like an old fart I'll say they certainly don't make movies like they used to.

I was on a Kevin Costner kick recently and watched Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, and Dances With Wolves.

I was thinking to myself that you just don’t see movies quite like these anymore. You can’t remake these movies either. There’s just a magic chemistry to them that can’t be emulated or recaptured.

Lot of movies from the past fit this mold.

 

[SurprisedPikachu]

Oh I get it.

Captain Marvel!

I win!

The wording made me think Captain Marvel for some reason too.. I was pleasantly surprised to see it wasn’t. Good job OP!

 

[slugbahr]

Oh I get it.

Captain Marvel!

I win!

Shazam!

 

[trikster40]

Great flick. This and True Lies were some of the best action movies of the 90s. Still trying to figure out what they were going for when they had Captain Super-Seiyan blow Arnold’s head off the standee in the movie.

 

[JareBear: Remastered]

Great flick. This and True Lies were some of the best action movies of the 90s. Still trying to figure out what they were going for when they had Captain Super-Seiyan blow Arnold’s head off the standee in the movie.

True Lies is one of the most entertaining movies ever. Extremely rewatchable film

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

True Lies is one of the most entertaining movies ever. Extremely rewatchable film

True Lies was one of the first things to really make me realize I liked girls when I saw Jamie Lee Curtis's striptease.

 

[Dacon]

If you wanna watch a weird Samuel L Jackson movie watch Caveman's Valentine. Jesus that movie,

 

[HaveButOneLife]

Captain Marvel. Lol.

 

[Kadayi]

True Lies was one of the first things to really make me realize I liked girls when I saw Jamie Lee Curtis's striptease.

And then you immediately watched Trading Places

 

[Vlaphor]

Oh, you mean Kite

Yeah, there was a live action adaptation of Kite. I haven't seen it, but I somehow doubt Samuel L Jackson fucks the girl in this version.

True Lies was one of the first things to really make me realize I liked girls when I saw Jamie Lee Curtis's striptease.

And then you immediately watched Trading Places

Don't get me wrong, Trading Places and True Lies are amazing showpieces for Jamie Lee Curtis, but I feel like enough people don't know about JLC in the movie "Perfect", so I always have this ready to share.

 

[DeafTourette]

Shane Black knows how to write 'em.

Geena Davis has two personalities in this flick: the happy mild mannered teacher, wife, and mom, and the badass killer spy. As her amnesia starts to subside her psyche enters a state of turmoil and conflict, because both sides are legitimately her, but struggle to coexist due to their polar opposition. She and her family are in danger, so the badass killer asserts dominance and shoves the teacher aside, but as we go on this journey with her we see her realize that her family ties fill an emptiness in her that her sarcastic, solitary hard-ass facade can't (and, in fact, is clearly afraid of on some level).

Sam Jackson plays the sidekick in this one, but he has his own agency and moments to shine. As their relationship evolves, he grapples with Geena's dark side, eventually taking on a paternal, protective role for the sake of Geena's character and her daughter, and elevates from a kind of seedy no one to a heroic figure in his own right.

The conflict resolves by Geena saving the day, but more importantly reconciling the two personas and accepting the love for her daughter (if not her beta husband).

The action scenes are pretty fucking great, the banter is hilarious, and the one liners are classic Shane Black. Geena pairs kill shots with lines that would be at home with Ahnold or Bruce Willis, and does them with vigor and vitriol, totally convincingly.

What a contrast to Captain Dogshit. Can you imagine the 2019 version of this?

Dang it, EvilLore! I was just about to say this!

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

And then you immediately watched Trading Places

I wouldn't see that until way, way later, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise when I did.