History Film / ToLiveAndDieInLA

* IndecisiveDeconstruction: The whole point about someone being a police maverick 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 maverick cop, to triumphant Wang Chung music.]]

[[caption-width-right:300: The ''[[AwesomeMusic real]]'' stars of the movie.]]

* 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. Not only that, 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''.

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

** Pretty much '''ANY''' named character who isn't Jimmy Hart, Ruth or John Vukovich [[spoiler: At least until the end of the film where he becomes essentially the reincarnation of Chance. Driven home when upon telling Ruth, "You're workin' for me now" at the end, she has flashbacks to her trysts with Chance. Driven (in this case literally) even further where after that scene, there's a short sequence that shows a later point where Vukovich is now even driving Chance's truck and parks at Ruth's house before the freeze frame and cut to credits.]]

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

** Pretty much any named character who isn't Jimmy Hart, Ruth or John Vukovich [[spoiler: At least until the end of the film where he becomes essentially the reincarnation of Chance. Driven home when upon telling Ruth, "You're workin' for me now." at the end, she has flashbacks to her trysts with Chance. Driven (in this case literally) even further where after that scene, there's a short sequence that shows a later point where Vukovich is now even driving Chance's truck and parks at Ruth's house before the freeze frame and cut to credits.]]

* 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.]]

* CrapsackWorld: Let's just say Friedkin's Los Angeles is not a sunny one.

* BadCopIncompetentCop: The federal agents in To Live and Die in LA are a much greater danger to the public, themselves, and each other than the criminals they pursue.

[[caption-width-right:300: The ''real'' stars of the movie.]]

[[caption-width-right:300: The ''real'' stars of the movie]]

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

* VillainProtagonist: Chance happens to be this as a result of his extreme actions in the name of justice.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Well, it ''was'' contemporary when it first came out...

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

* CounterfeitCash

* TheInfiltration

* NamesTheSame: Modern-day viewers see "Robert Downey" in the credits and wonder why they don't spot Tony Stark - when the Downey in question is his ''dad.''

* NotSoDifferent

* ShootTheShaggyDog

* ThrowItIn: When Chance was slamming the briefcase against the pillar, it wasn't supposed to break open. When it did, and the phone book to simulate its weight in money sprung free, Petersen continued to roll with 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.]]

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

The film stars [[Series/{{CSI}} William Petersen]] as Secret Service agent Richard Chance, a maverick 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.

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