In 1980s Sean Penn has built off-screen reputation of a “bad boy”. By strange coincidence, his first major starring role was in the film that featured those words in title - Bad Boys, 1983 prison drama directed by Rick Rosenthal. Protagonist, played by Penn, is indeed a “bad boy” – Chicago teenager Mick O’Brian who makes ends meet by petty and increasingly violent crime. His latest scheme involves robbery of drugs belonging to Paco Moreno (played by Esai Morales), teenage Puerto Rican drug dealer. The plan goes disastrously wrong with Mick accidentally killing Paco’s little brother. He is arrested and sent to juvenile detention facility, which, for all practical purposes, functions as adult prison, a place where everyday life revolves around violence, drugs and sexual harassment. The place is unofficially run by two trustees – huge white prisoner Viking (played by Clancy Brown) and his black sidekick Tweety (played by Robert Lee Rush). Mick tries to keep himself out of trouble, but he gets instantly picked by those two. Thankfully, his cellmate Barry Horowitz (played by Eric Gurry), proves to be valuable ally despite being sociopath. Mick becomes new trustee and his prison life turns to less hectic routine. Everything changes when Paco, led by maniacal thirst for revenge, rapes Mick’s girlfriend J. C. Walenski (played by Ally Sheedy). For that crime he is arrested and sent to the same facility as Mick, making the spectacularly violent confrontation between two teenagers all but inevitable.
The plot of Bad Boys at first glance looks very much like 1950s low-budget films exploiting the subject of juvenile delinquency. The approach by Rick Rosenthal is, on the other hand, much closer to 1970s and the film features distinctively more graphic language, sex and violence and the general tone is much darker. Script by Robert H. Solo, on the other hand, enthusiastically adopts some of the prison film cliches, most notably in ethnic stereotyping. Viking, played by character actor Clancy Brown in one of his first notable roles, is made to look like the future member of Aryan Nation. Italian American inmates, like mafiosi outside, run the black market. Horowitz, effectively played by Eric Gurry, is all but spelled as Jewish and the most intelligent inmate of all. Those stereotypes are, however, overcome by excellent casting and script trying to give every character, even villains, some humanity. Young Penn is an effective and the script wisely prevents him from overacting. On the other hands, some cliches are annoyingly predictable, like the subplot with angelic girlfriend who is supposed to bring Mick to the side of Good. The subplot involving rape and revenge is, however, handled too melodramatically and only makes the film look too melodramatic. Despite all the realism and grittiness, Bad Boys is still Hollywood product and the protagonist is, thanks to cliched character of well-intentioned facility supervisor and former gang-member (played by Reni Santoni), introduced to the dilemma whether to continue with his criminal and violent ways or open new page in life. Despite overlong and violent finale, the answer to that question isn’t hard to guess. Bad Boys is also ill-served by the Bill Conti’s soundtrack, which sounds to romantic for the film of this nature. However, it still can be recommended to the audience that want to see their favourite actors in early days. Film is also known for inspiring the naming of Bad Blue Boys, Croatian ultras group that supports GNK Dinamo Zagreb football club.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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