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‘Bad Boys’ With Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, and Logan Murdock

August 13, 2020 · Bad Boys (1995) · Action · Comedy · Crime · 1:34:25

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Bill Simmons▶ 6:22Michael Bay convinced Will Smith to do the iconic shirtless hotel lobby shootout scene, later claiming he should get half of Smith's salary for making him a movie star. Also provided buddy cop movie timeline from 1982-1995, noting Bad Boys was first with two black leads after 14 years of the genre. Movie was originally set in New York but moved to Miami for budget reasons.
Logan Murdock▶ 10:33Emphasized the distinction that this was an 'action movie with black people' rather than a 'black movie', which was radical for the 90s. Noted that filming in Miami instead of New York was a blessing in disguise as Miami works perfectly as a character in movies.
Van Lathan▶ 8:19Discussed why it took until 1995 for two black leads in buddy cop movies (Hollywood reluctance), noted the movie's multicultural Miami setting made it less of a 'black movie', and explained how the film started a Miami renaissance in cinema.

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 20:04Martin Lawrence — Martin Lawrence - Bad Boys (1995) was his peak before he 'unraveled' in subsequent years
Logan Murdock▶ 20:51Martin Lawrence — Supports Martin Lawrence's later success, emphasizing Big Mama's House made $174 million and was 'a joint'
Van Lathan▶ 20:33Martin Lawrence — Martin Lawrence - Big Mama's House era (2000s), he became a much bigger star later than in Bad Boys

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 32:40The opening scene with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence ad-libbing in the car, the scene when they find the dead guy, the inept hit men chase scene, and the role reversal scene in the office
Logan Murdock▶ 34:31The opening scene, particularly the 'shiny dick with two chairs' dialogue and the ad-libbed argument between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence
Van Lathan▶ 35:42The opening scene - 'I think it is the best scene of the movie'

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Logan Murdock▶ 51:05The weird sexual tension Julie has for the idea of Mike Lowry - she tries to have sex with Marcus pretending he's Mike, then becomes infatuated with the real Mike, despite her best friend being killed after dealing with Mike Lowry

What's Aged the Best

Van Lathan▶ 56:01The comedy itself and the banter, specifically citing the joke about 'your mama snorted up all the heroin'

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:30Dana Carvey — Discussed Dana Carvey and John Lovitz originally cast but backed out, Arsenio Hall and Laurence Fishburne turning down Mike Lowry role
Logan Murdock▶ 1:06:46Arsenio Hall — Glad Arsenio Hall didn't take Will Smith's role, doesn't think it would have worked
Van Lathan▶ 1:07:41Laurence Fishburne — Praised Laurence Fishburne's missed opportunities, said he would have been better in all the roles he turned down including Mike Lowry and Jules in Pulp Fiction

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:45Martin Lawrence — Max (the character) - acknowledges Martin Lawrence is the correct answer but personally gives it to Max, upset she wasn't in the sequel
Logan Murdock▶ 1:12:58Martin Lawrence — Martin Lawrence's character - calls him the clear winner, saying he 'kills it every single time' in his three scenes and 'goes in on Will Smith' like no one else in the movie
Van Lathan▶ 1:13:13Martin Lawrence — Agrees Martin Lawrence is good but thinks he's actually better in the sequel, describing his performance in this movie as 'muted' compared to the next film

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:30Will Smith — Will Smith - becomes the biggest movie star in the world within three years because of this movie
Logan Murdock▶ 1:30:44Will Smith — Will Smith - movie launched his transition from TV to movie stardom, leading to Independence Day and Men in Black
Van Lathan▶ 1:31:22Will Smith — Will Smith won the war, Martin Lawrence won the battle - Will became much bigger star long-term

Movies Referenced (29)

Independence Day (1996)

9 mentions · Logan Murdock, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 3:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lethal Weapon (1987)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 7:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Men in Black (1997)

4 mentions · Logan Murdock, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 18:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Running Scared (2006)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rush Hour (1998)

4 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:21:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Logan Murdock▶ 1:20:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blue Streak (1999)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 20:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:07:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Enemy of the State (1998)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 18:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iron Man (2008)

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 43:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Poetic Justice (1993)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock▶ 10:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (5)

Michael Bay

37 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Logan Murdock · Known for Armageddon▶ 6:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 7:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 15:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Singleton

1 mentions · Logan Murdock · Known for Boyz n the Hood, Four Brothers▶ 10:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

1 mentions · Logan Murdock · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 10:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (42)

Will Smith

59 mentions · Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock, Van Lathan · Known for Men in Black, I Am Legend▶ 1:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Lawrence

54 mentions · Logan Murdock, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lisa Boyle

8 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Nutty Professor, Face/Off, Bad Boys▶ 37:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 3:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jennifer Aniston

7 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for We're the Millers▶ 1:15:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Laurence Fishburne

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock · Known for The Matrix, Contagion▶ 1:07:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Simpson

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Days of Thunder, Beverly Hills Cop, The Rock▶ 1:05:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Halle Berry

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock · Known for Die Another Day▶ 11:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arsenio Hall

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock · Known for Coming to America, Harlem Nights▶ 1:06:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Damon Wayans

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Last Boy Scout▶ 7:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Jordan

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Space Jam, He Got Game▶ 42:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tupac Shakur

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock · Known for Juice, Poetic Justice, Gang Related▶ 10:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Roger Ebert

3 mentions · Logan Murdock, Bill Simmons▶ 26:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Allen

1 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 16:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ed Burns

1 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:15:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Stamos Triantafyllos

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Wonder Woman▶ 54:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗