A Critique of the Film “My Bodyguard” Produced in the Year 1980

A critique of the film “My Bodyguard” produced in the year 1980

In this film “My Bodyguard”, a high-school kid who is the constant object of harassment by the school bully hires a fellow classmate, a hulking loner, to be his bodyguard and eventually the two become friends.

In the first place, this film has so many odds against it. This film has violence, sexual manipulations and some less-than-sterling behavioral examples. For instance, a bigger boy is always threatening a smaller one. The conflict ends in a final vicious circle fight between the two bodyguards and the two leads. There is occasional mild profanity and an obscene finger gesture. Cliff and his Dad peek at girls through a telescope. In one brief, naked male rears in a locker room. Though subtly played, Dad is obviously sleeping with a visiting flight attendant. It is also implied in the movie that Grandma, a heavy drinker, is also a sex fiend. She sits in the bar of the family's hotel drinking and hunting for any hapless man who wanders in.

On the other hand, My Bodyguard is thankfully missing the sex and wild partying antics of so many recent teen movies. Instead, this is a low-key portrayal of the trials and tribulations of high school. Student life is portrayed in a brutally realistic fashion that will resonate with middle-school students. Refreshingly down-to-earth until the final scene over-the-top fight, teens will likely look past the dated look to embrace the relevant themes. The acting is equally realistic. Chris Makepeace is ideal as the spunky kid who thinks his way out of a problem (until the end), and Matt Dillon is perfect as the menacing bully. The movie also effectively addresses themes of difference, friendship, and looking beyond stereotypes.

Works Cited

My Bodyguard, 1980 Retrieved July 1, 2012 from Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database