Best Seller (1987)
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Cast
as Cleve
as Dennis Meechum
as David Madlock
as Roberta Gillian
as Holly Meechum
as Graham
as Mrs. Foster
as Cleve's mother
as Monks
as Annie
as Cleve's Father
as Taxi Driver
as Pearlman
as Thorn
as Longshoreman
as Rothman
as Foley
as Woman in Laundry
as Man in Bar
as Man in Bar
as Bartender
as Woman at Bar
as Quentin
as Female Officer
as Man in Car
as Roud
as Meechum's Lawyer
as Turner
as Jarvis
as Jason
as Senator
as Cabot
as Cop in Depository
as El Paso TV Anchor
as Man at Airport
as Bodyguard
as Bodyguard
as El Paso TV Anchor
as Bodyguard
as Supervisor
as 1st Bodyguard
as Dock Worker
as Waiter
as Young Cop
as Mature Cop
as Man
as News Reporter
as Teacher
as Man
as Talk Show Host
as Drug Kingpin
Critic Reviews for Best Seller
All Critics (14) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (4)
[Larry] Cohen cannily mixes social satire and genre twists in his clever screenplay of an unlikely friendship between two men with more history than they realize...
Ingenious big city cop film.
Best Seller wouldn't amount to much without Woods' foul, sadistic, gleefully profane edge.
Concentrate(s) on character interactions, shootouts, and chases, with things like plot and motivation taking a back seat. The slick, 1980s design does the rest.
A knockout. An intense, imaginative and exciting multilayered thriller. Woods and Dennehy are both outstanding. One of the unsung great movies of the 1980s.
One of the edgiest, most suspenseful thrillers of the 1980's....Woods is amazing
Audience Reviews for Best Seller
Best Seller is a stunning well crafted dramatic thriller that boasts a strong cast and great directing from director John Flynn. James Woods gives a blistering performance as Cleve a contract killer who tells his story to Dennis Meechum, a cop and true crime author. Meechum is also very well acted by Brian Dennehy. This is a well constructed film that is highly engaging from start to finish. The plot is very engaging and in the end it delivers a cat and mouse angle to the plot which is riveting. James Woods' performance alone makes this film worth seeing and he is simply psychotic with a certain charm that adds a lot to the film. Of course the film could have been better and it does fall flat in a few areas. For the most part however, Best Seller is a very good picture that showcases two standout actors at their best. I really liked the conflict that Dennehy brought to the role as he tries to balance the author and the cop part of himself. Best Seller has its flaws, but due to a very good script, it manages to overcome its shortcomings and deliver something quite memorable. This is a film that didn't deserve the flack it has received and it is one of the better dramatic thrillers of the latter half of the 1980's. Best Seller is a film worth checking out and is definitely a film that the critics were wrong about. The performances are great and with that being said, it's what makes this one standout above other movies in this caliber. Don't believe the critics, if you love James Woods, you'll surely enjoy this. Far from perfect, but it is nonetheless a well constructed picture that will grab your attention from the first frame onwards.
Super Reviewer
Another underrated gem from the 80s.
Super Reviewer
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