James Spader: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked
4. Morgan Hiller - Tuff Turf (1985)
Remember when James Spaders casting was defined by playing yuppie assholes a la Pretty in Pink or Less Than Zero? Thats only because this early turn as hero was so utterly forgettable. Tuff Turf sets out to ape Rumble Fish with its biker jacket/switchblade aesthetic, but it feels more like a charmless non-musical Grease. Spader, then twenty-five, tries to coast by on his good looks, but, with his preppy haircut and general clean-cut-ness, that supposed chip on his shoulder feels like an affectation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F5riiX-7c0 An extended shootout/punch-up at an abandoned funfair, in which Spader delivers a swinging kick on a rope and a slimy Robert Downey Jr. gets shot in the leg is so stereotypically 80s, complete with driving electro score, you half expect Snake Plissken to put in an appearance on surfboard. It might well improve matters. Rebel Without A Cause? More Rebel Without A Clue.
