In another thread, we were talking about movie theaters from our past and the one that I brought up in conversation was La Jolla Cove Theater, with My Bodyguard being the last movie I saw there. So, I had an overwhelming need to watch this awesome movie yet again. The movie came out in 1980 and I STILL remember seeing it at the Cove like it was yesterday. There was a certain energy in the crowd that night and I remember the reaction some of the pivotal scenes in the movie got from the audience. The fight scene of course got the biggest reaction. More on that in a bit.

With a cast of some very well-known names and faces in the film, it was Carson (Paul Quandt) who seemed to steal every scene he was in and got the biggest laughs. When he talks about the boogers under the desk, the audience was howling. And when he flipped Moody (Matt Dillon) off for "stealing a years worth of lunches", the crowd was whooping it up. There's something about a Red Hair, freckled face kid that had a voice on par with Barry White that you couldn't deny him his due on screen.

Of course he wasn't the star of the film. That would be Clifford (Chris Makepeace) and Ricky Linderman (Adam Baldwin) as Clifford is starting a new school and quickly becomes Public Enemy #1 of Moody, who is the School's bully that extorts "protection" money from all the kids. Clifford of course will not play by their rules and sets out to even the playing field by "buying" the services of Ricky, the "local mass murderer". The plot has been down a thousands times before and since, but never has it been done is such a charming and extremely satisfying way. At least to me anyway. I absolutely love this film. With Clifford being the underdog, we all know that there will be a fight at the end. But unlike a lot of other films that use the same formula, this has a ton of heart and you feel for the characters of Cliff and Ricky, but you also feel for the other underdogs like Carson and Shelly.

Now for the fight. Why does it kick ass? Well, for starters, you get not one, but two fights as Cliff takes on Moody and Ricky takes on Mike (Hank Salas). What I like about Ricky and Mike's fight is that it doesn't look like its choreographed at all which lends some authenticity to it and you feel the punches and misses. But as good as their fight was, Clifford's and Moody's fight is even better! Their fight was a bit choreographed, but it is so awkward watching Cliff throw punches that you just can't help but root for the guy. And when it finally clocks him in the nose, it's so freaking rewarding!!

This film has a stellar cast that just can't be topped! Along with the aforementioned lead players, there is Joan Cusack, Martin Mull, John Houseman, George Wendt, Jennifer Beals, Tim Kazurinsky and the awesome Ruth Gordon! I miss her. She is so funny in this. Hey, even Dean Deviin has a small role in this as "boy". He also did production work as an assistant. I guess working on this movie would of course one day lead to Independence Day. Who knew?

I highly recommend this as a must-Buy-it-now film. You will not be disappointed. My Bodyguard sits at the #2 spot on my list of Greatest High School Movies Of All Time, right behind that of The Breakfast Club

I could only fine one site that had Screencaps for the movie. Not the best selection at all. I will search and see if I can find one that has more variety. I want to highlight all the actors involved in the movie.