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‘Lethal Weapon’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

April 6, 2021 · Lethal Weapon (1987) · Action · Crime · Thriller · 1:25:58

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Chris Ryan▶ 16:29Vietnam limited series

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 29:29Riggs drug bust/Christmas tree scene, handcuff jump scene, Riggs-Murtaugh boat conversation, and daughter desert exchange scene
Chris Ryan▶ 30:16Agrees with the Christmas tree drug bust scene, emphasizing the Christmas elements and Riggs' wild energy after consuming cocaine

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 42:28There was four more minutes of the fight that got cut down because it was too much - the audience would be worn out

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 48:43The chemistry between Gibson and Glover, and the helicopter scene filmmaking/cinematography
Chris Ryan▶ 47:25Christmas in LA setting and the chemistry/dynamic between the two main characters

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:35Ed O'Ross — Edo Ross (who played Cruise in 48 Hours 2 and appears as Mendez in this movie)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:57Grand L. Bush — Multiple picks including Mary Ellen Traynor (the therapist), but ultimately agrees Grant L. Bush (Agent Johnson from Die Hard) is the winner

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:44Richard Donner — Gibson: no; Glover: Lethal Weapon 2 + Grand Canyon era; Busey: Buddy Holly Story; Donner: this movie (Lethal Weapon) over Goonies because it sets up franchise wealth; Helicopter assassination scenes: First Blood; Cocaine balcony jumps: this movie is literally Apex Mountain; Christmas in LA movies: Die Hard over this; Drinking Coors in movies: this movie
Chris Ryan▶ 1:13:55Danny Glover — Glover: should make argument he's on Apex Mountain (Color Purple/Silverado era vs Lethal Weapon 2); Helicopter assassination scenes: Godfather 3; Jumps into inflatable trampolines: this movie over The Game; Christmas in LA movies: Die Hard; Mobile homes: Nomadland; Drinking Coors: this movie

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:04Multiple questions: Cosbys vs Murtaughs in Family Feud (picks Murtaughs long-term, Cosbys in 1987), whether Running Scared was better than Lethal Weapon (concludes it's not), whether this is a Christmas movie, and what police reports would look like after the strip joint shootout
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:19Weighs in on Family Feud question (leans toward Cosbys in 1987), disagrees that Running Scared is better than Lethal Weapon, and argues the holiday season makes Murtaugh more open to inviting Riggs over, supporting the Christmas movie angle

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:15Mel Gibson — Gibson and Glover together as a duo (agreed with another host)
Chris Ryan▶ 1:24:11Mel Gibson — Gibson and Glover together as a duo

Movies Referenced (49)

Die Hard (1988)

18 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 13:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Running Scared (2006)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 4:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Predator (1987)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Halloween (1978)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

First Blood (1982)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 59:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Grand Canyon (1991)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mad Max (1979)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 7:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Superman (2025)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aliens (1986)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Back to the Future (1985)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 26:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Braveheart (1995)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 49:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

City Slickers (1991)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (6)

Mel Gibson

39 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 2:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Donner

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Lethal Weapon▶ 3:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner▶ 58:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Zemeckis

4 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact▶ 26:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Smith

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Clerks, Chasing Amy▶ 4:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Tate

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Radio Days▶ 20:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (51)

James Murtaugh

26 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days▶ 11:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Glover

13 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Lethal Weapon▶ 2:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gary Busey

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Lethal Weapon, Point Break▶ 37:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Willis

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Die Hard, Pulp Fiction▶ 4:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joel Silver

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Nice Guys, The Matrix▶ 13:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Saxon

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for A Nightmare on Elm Street, Enter the Dragon, New Nightmare▶ 1:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Palance

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for City Slickers▶ 12:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Paxton

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Aliens, Apollo 13▶ 21:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pierce Brosnan

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The World Is Not Enough▶ 58:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Atkins

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Hurt

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for A History of Violence, Lost in Space, Broadcast News▶ 1:00:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian Dennehy

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for First Blood▶ 59:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (7)

Shane Black

12 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Predator, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 3:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 21:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andrew Cosby

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 17:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Buddy Holly

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Big Fish, Almost Famous▶ 1:00:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charles Manson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood▶ 1:00:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 20:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andy Greenwald

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 34:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗