History Film / ToLiveAndDieInLA

* HeroicBSOD: Vukovich, [[spoiler:after the sting goes bad.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Chance is a '''dick.'''

* SociopathicHero: By the mid-point Chance has been established as one, [[spoiler: engineering a robbery to get the money Masters asked]], but even before that, he casually mistreats his girlfriend/informant Ruth, and he says he'd ''immediately'' get her back in jail should she ever stop being his CI. At one point, [[spoiler: he even rapes her while giggling like a kid.]]

* WhatTheHellHero: Pretty much every one of Chance's actions during the investigation results in this, especially when [[spoiler:he accidentally gets an undercover FBI agent killed while sticking him up to get the money for his sting operation.]]

* RabidCop: Chance--he's brash with authority figures, doesn't like it when the rules get in the way of his plans, takes evidence without following protocol and, oh yes, uses blackmail and armed robbery to further his investigation. All in the name of justice, mind you.
--> '''Chance:''' I'm gonna bag Masters, and I don't give a shit how I do it.

* VillainProtagonist: Chance, [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation depending on your viewpoint]].

The film stars [[Series/{{CSI}} William Petersen]] as Secret Service agent Richard Chance, a RabidCop type determined to take down Rick Masters (WillemDafoe), the counterfeiter who [[DeadSidekick shot Chance's partner]]. It also features an exceptionally '80s soundtrack by Wang Chung.

--> '''Chance:''' I'm gonna bag Masters, and I don't give a shit how I do it.

* RabidCop: Chance--he's brash with authority figures, doesn't like it when the rules get in the way of his plans, takes evidence without following protocol and, oh yes, uses blackmail and armed robbery to further his investigation. All for justice, mind you.

* IndecisiveDeconstruction: The whole RabidCop trope eventually gets deconstructed, as Chance's rule-breaking has serious, negative consequences: His withholding of information from his superiors makes them unwilling to help him; the convict he manages to bully the DA into releasing beats him up and escapes, and his plan to get the buy money for the sting goes horribly, horribly wrong. On the other hand, Chance ''does'' recapture Cody, and [[spoiler:the sting does go down; furthermore, the movie ends with Vukovich becoming the new RabidCop, to triumphant Wang Chung music.]]

* RabidCop: Chance--he's brash with authority figures, doesn't like it when the rules get in the way of his plans, takes evidence without following protocol and, oh yes, uses blackmail and armed robbery to further his investigation. All for justice, mind you. Also, [[spoiler: Vukovich at the end of the movie.]]

The film stars [[Series/{{CSI}} William Petersen]] as Secret Service agent Richard Chance, a CowboyCop type determined to take down Rick Masters (WillemDafoe), the counterfeiter who [[DeadSidekick shot Chance's partner]]. It also features an exceptionally '80s soundtrack by Wang Chung.

* CowboyCop: Chance--he's brash with authority figures, doesn't like it when the rules get in the way of his plans, takes evidence without following protocol and, oh yes, uses blackmail and armed robbery to further his investigation. All for justice, mind you. Also, [[spoiler: Vukovich at the end of the movie.]]

* HollywoodPoliceDrivingAcademy: Avoided: Chance pulls off the LA equivalent of [[TheEmpireStrikesBack flying the Millennium Falcon into an asteroid field]] with flying colors.
* IndecisiveDeconstruction: Arguably, the whole CowboyCop trope gets deconstructed, as Chance's rule-breaking has serious, negative consequences: His withholding of information from his superiors makes them unwilling to help him; the convict he manages to bully the DA into releasing beats him up and escapes, and his plan to get the buy money for the sting goes horribly, horribly wrong. On the other hand, Chance ''does'' recapture Cody, and [[spoiler: the sting does go down; furthermore, the movie ends with Vukovich becoming the new CowboyCop, to triumphant Wang Chung music.]]

* DownerEnding: '''''And''''' '''HOW.''' [[spoiler:Chance dies during the sting, causing Vukovich to have a mental breakdown and kill Masters, but not before the latter destroyed all the evidence of his crimes by torching his downtown warehouse]]. It goes FromBadToWorse. [[spoiler:Vukovich essentially becomes the new Chance, and makes Ruth his bitch]]. If you enjoyed how the ending of the film turns out, go seek psychiatric help, ''now''.

--> '''Chance''': I'm gonna bag Masters, and I don't give a shit how I do it.

-->'''Chance''': That's real funny. *hurls phone book at agent*

* BullyingADragon: Chance. He dives headfirst into any kind of dangerous situation, both on and off the job. According to his first partner, he should learn to take it easy every now and then, otherwise he won't live to see retirement. [[spoiler: And... he doesn't in the end.]]

* DepravedBisexual: Serena, [[spoiler: Bianca]] and quite possibly Masters himself.

* FriendOrFoe: [[spoiler:Thomas Ling, The undercover FBI man is actually shot by his fellow agents. They've parked their vehicle on an overpass and are shooting at the robbers with an Armalite rifle when another vehicle crashes into theirs. A startled agent clutches at the rifleman's shoulder and the weapon discharges, with the bullet killing Ling himself.]]

* HeroicBSOD: Vukovich, [[spoiler: after the sting goes bad.]]

* VillainProtagonist: Chance, [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation depending on your viewpoint.]]

* DownerEnding: '''''And''''' '''HOW.''' [[spoiler: Chance dies during the sting, causing Vukovich to have a mental breakdown and kill Masters, but not before the latter destroyed all the evidence of his crimes by torching his downtown warehouse]]. It goes FromBadToWorse. [[spoiler: Vukovich essentially becomes the new Chance, and makes Ruth his bitch]]. If you enjoyed the ending of the film, go seek psychiatric help, ''now''.

* MutualKill: [[spoiler:Masters' henchman, Jack and Chance himself]] at the film's near end.

* BreakTheCutie: Vukovich. As the movie progresses, Chance's behavior takes an increasing toll on the poor guy, leading to several meltdowns and a HeroicBSOD.

* RevengeBeforeReason: This is what eventually defines Chance himself.

-->'''Chance''': Very funny. *hurls phone book at agent*

The film stars [[{{CSI}} William Petersen]] as Secret Service agent Richard Chance, a CowboyCop type determined to take down Rick Masters (WillemDafoe), the counterfeiter who [[DeadSidekick shot Chance's partner]]. It also features an exceptionally '80s soundtrack by Wang Chung.

* FriendOrFoe: [[spoiler:The undercover FBI man is actually shot by his fellow agents. They've parked their vehicle on an overpass and are shooting at the robbers with an Armalite rifle when another vehicle crashes into theirs. A startled agent clutches at the rifleman's shoulder and the weapon discharges, with the bullet killing the undercover agent.]]

* HeroicBSOD: Vukovich [[spoiler: after the sting goes bad.]]

* {{Retirony}}: Jimmy Hart.

* WhatTheHellHero: Pretty much every one of Chance's actions during the investigation results in this, especially when [[spoiler: he accidentally gets an undercover FBI agent killed while sticking him up to get the money for his sting operation.]]

* RevengeBeforeReason: Chance.

''To Live and Die in LA'' is a 1985 American crime-thriller film, based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Petievich and directed by WilliamFriedkin (''Film/TheExorcist'', ''TheFrenchConnection'').

* BullyingADragon: Chance. He dives headfirst into any kind of dangerous situation, both on and off the job. According to his first partner, he should learn to take it easy every now and then, otherwise he won't live to see retirement. [[spoiler: And... he doesn't.]]

* DownerEnding: '''''And''''' '''HOW.''' [[spoiler: Chance dies during the sting, causing Vukovich to have a mental breakdown and kill Masters, but not before the latter destroyed all the evidence of his crimes by torching his downtown warehouse.]] [[ItGotWorse It gets worse.]] [[spoiler: Vukovich essentially becomes the new Chance, and makes Ruth his bitch.]] If you enjoyed the ending of the film, go seek psychiatric help, ''now''.

* AntiHero: Chance is either a firm Type V or a ''very dark'' Type IV.

* ByTheBookCop: Quite literally Chance's superior, who is able to cite regulations chapter and verse, and actually has "the book" to hand.

* CrapsackWorld

* DownerEnding: '''''And''''' '''HOW.'''

* EvilVersusEvil

* SociopathicHero: By the mid-point Chance has been established as one, [[spoiler: engineering a robbery to get the money Masters asked]], but even before that, he casually mistreats his girlfriend/informant Ruth, and he says he'd ''immediately'' get her back in jail should she ever stop being his CI.

* JerkAss: Chance is a '''dick.'''

* EnforcedMethodActing: During the wrong-way chase scenes on the Los Angeles freeway, Vukovich's panicky reactions were genuine.

* FoeYay: Masters and Chance; the former certainly enjoys patting down the latter shortly before he tells him "You're beautiful." Chance later returns the favor, presumably sarcastically, but it's hard to be sure.

* TheEighties: Ronald Reagan, Wang Chung, fantastic big hair, and truly retro credits fonts.