Richard Dreyfuss in "Stakeout" 1987 Movie Review

While on an FBI stakeout, detective Chris Lecce (Richard Dreyfuss) falls hard for Maria (Madeleine Stowe), the woman he's supposed to be watching. Soon he's inside her home enjoying a torrid love affair, while his young partner Bill Reimers (Emilio Estevez), waits across the street, looking through his binoculars and fuming.

But the woman's ex-boyfriend (Aidan Quinn), a crazed, escaped convict who is the real object of the stakeout, is on his way back to see her and poses a very dangerous threat to the new couple. Director John Badham's entertaining blend of action and humor highlights the comic timing and chemistry between Dreyfuss and Estevez, who deliver first-rate performances.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy and Thriller

Running Time: 1 hr. 55 min.

MPAA Rating: R

Distributors: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Production Co.: Stakeout Productions, Silver Screen Partners II

Studios: Touchstone Pictures

U.S. Box Office: $65,374,551

Filming Locations: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Produced in: United States

Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, Aidan Quinn, Madeleine Stowe, Ian Tracey

Directed by: John Badham, Gregg Champion

Produced by: John Badham, Jim Kouf, Cathleen Summers

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Stakeout
• Richard
• Dreyfuss
• Emilio
• Estevez
• Aidan
• Quinn
• Madeleine
• Stowe
• Ian
• Tracey

[ivangrozny27]

His point about the graphic violence at the start is stupid though. It was necessary to establish what a brutal thug Aidan Quinn's character was, to show that the cops werent dealing with some two bit car thief or burglar...as why else would the dept (in conjunction with the FBI's own operation) post 4 cops on a 24hr stakeout? This is not a kid's film, you cant have ridiculous bumbling villains like Joe Pesci in Home Alone.

[DreyfussFan]

@ivangrozny27 Great points here! I couldn't agree with you more about establishing the character of Quinn in the begining. Thanks for the comments!

[MrKatyPerryfan]

I disagree. Estevez is a perfect foil to Dreyfus in this and Madeliene Stowe is just the sexiest woman to have ever graced this Earth with her presence. Also Aidan Quinn's performance is intense and scary and provides a good offset to Richard Dreyfus. God I forgot how great Dreyfus used to be.

[DreyfussFan]

Yeah sometimes Siskel & Ebert can be so wrong on movies and then so right on others! I agree with you about this one.. I thought the cast wroked well together and I really enjoyed this movie.

[027220]

@greensucksbluerules My thumbs up on Stakeout.

[027220]

@greensucksbluerules Got ya.

[027220]

@DreyfussFan Yes they can.

[027220]

1:15 - :19 'Never' reply to a 'psycho killer' like that if he/she has you held at gun/knifepoint.

[ivangrozny27]

@DreyfussFan you're welcome..I too am a fan of Mr.Dreyfuss

[027220]

@ivangrozny27 He wasn't a 'perfect' critic, he was a 'good' one.

[drlee2]

This is one of my favorite movies from the 80s. I saw it when it first came out and have been hooked ever since. It's a wonderful mix of comedy, action, and drama. They are correct that Dreyfuss was totally awesome, but Estevez, Stowe, and Quinn were great, too. I wouldn't have such high regard for this movie if I thought they weren't!

[dnasty312]

Gene! C'mon, man!

[027220]

1:51 'Also' not true.