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The Big Hit
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Synopsis
Kirk Wong directed this comedy actioner about mild-mannered, beleaguered hitman Melvin Smiley (Mark Wahlberg), who very much wants to be liked. However, the naive Mel is being taken advantage of by both his girlfriends and associates (who cheat him out of his bonuses). Mel and his "Odd Squad" -- Cisco (Lou Diamond Phillips), Crunch (Bokeem Woodbine), Vince (Antonio Sabato Jr.), and Gump (Robin Dunne) -- work for Paris (Avery Brooks), head of an international crime cartel and a contractor for hit jobs. Mel's mistress Chantel (Lela Rochon), who views him as a meal ticket, lives rent-free in his house, misspends his money, and is continually thinking of ways to get more from him. Her latest scheme is concocting tales about overdue mortgage and car payments, but she really wants the money to run away with her lover Sergio. Mel and his team head into a big shootout to waste some rival mobsters. One person kills the electricity; the others don night-vision goggles. Melvin handles most of the action, including shooting while bungee-bouncing near a staircase, finally making a spectacular bungee-exit from the top floors of the building just as it explodes in flames. A quick and easy weekend job backfires when their kidnap victim, a rich industrialist's teenage daughter Keiko Nishi (China Chow), turns out to be the godchild of their boss, crime czar Paris. When Cisco, mastermind of the plan, is summoned by Paris, he manages to shift blame to Mel. Meanwhile, Chantel absconds with Mel's earnings just as the disapproving parents (Elliott Gould, Lainie Kazan) of Mel's fiancee Pam (Christina Applegate) are due for a visit. Since Pam gave her parents $50,000 from Mel's bank account, they're on their way to thank him and hopefully benefit from another financial windfall. As his professional and domestic woes collide, Mel finds himself dodging bullets while trying to impress his potential in-laws. Throw in an overzealous video-store clerk demanding the return of an overdue tape (King Kong Returns), and it's not long before Mel's life starts to unravel. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Cast

Christina Applegate Pam Shulman
Avery Brooks Paris
Elliott Gould Morton Shulman
Lainie Kazan Jeanne Shulman
Lela Rochon Chantel
Sab Shimono Jiro Nishi
Bokeem Woodbine Crunch
Lou Diamond Phillips Cisco
Mark Wahlberg Melvin Smiley
Antonio Sabato, Jr. Vince
China Chow Keiko Nishi
Robin Dunne Gump
Joshua Peace Lance
Danny Smith Video Store Kid
David Usher Sergio

Production Crew

Andrew M. Stearn Art Director
Andrew Stearn Art Director
Craig Lathrop Art Director
Roger Mussenden Casting
Danny Nowak Cinematographer
Craig Perry Co-producer
Roger Garcia Co-producer
Victor McGauley Co-producer
Graeme Revell Composer (Music Score)
Margaret M. Mohr Costume Designer
Kirk Wong Director
Pietro Scalia Editor
Robin Russell Editor
John M. Eckert Executive Producer
John Woo Executive Producer
Terence Chang Executive Producer
Jeffrey Steven Authors First Assistant Director
Warren Zide Producer
Wesley Snipes Producer
Taavo Soodor Production Designer
Ben Ramsey Screenwriter
Douglas Ganton Sound/Sound Designer
John Stoneham Jr. Stunts Coordinator
Lau Chi-Ho Stunts Coordinator
Year: 1998
Runtime: 91
Country: USA
MPAA Rating: R
for violence, pervasive language and some sexuality
Category: Feature

Genre
Action

Color type
DeLuxe

Sound
Dolby/SDDS

Produced by
Amen Ra Films
Lion Rock Productions
TriStar
Zide-Perry

Release
April 24, 1998 (USA)
by Sony Pictures Entertainment