So improbably connected to Ninotchka (1939) that I had to watch it. Also some misguided Arnie completism. Directed and co-written by Walter Hill (The Driver (1978), The Warriors (1979)). Harry Kleiner and Troy Kennedy Martin helped with the screenplay.
This movie is mostly boring. Arnie plays a Russian cop with Garbo-esque rigidity in what was one of his least amusing performances. He's paired with Chicago cop James Belushi who continually runs at the mouth. Peter Boyle can't do this straight stuff (a police chief) too well. Larry Fishburne with the shit-eating grin, not yet large. Richard Bright. Notionally they're on the trail of cocaine-importing Russian (Ed O'Ross) via his wife Gina Gershon and some black power cats run by Brent Jennings from his prison workout set. Brion James, informant, copped the usual abuse.
So, many strong players but not well cast. The minor characters were more interesting.
Roger Ebert: three stars, probably inflated by the Chicago setting. Vincent Canby: should've gone straight to video. It would probably be deemed a second-screen effort these days.
