Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Downtown, Los Angeles
In the sun-soaked streets, the pursuit of high-quality counterfeit money is relentless. The United States Secret Service has an agent on the case – a man so driven, wearing pants so tight, with a beard set to exactly 5 o'clock, that the counterfeit ring's days may just be numbered.... By 1985, William Friedkin had conquered New Hollywood with the chilling THE EXORCIST and the thrilling THE FRENCH CONNECTION. But after a string of disappointments, he unleashed one of the most aggressive films of his career: TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. Set in a "violent, cynical wasteland under a burning sun," Los Angeles transforms into a gritty realm filled with money launderers, sociopaths, and reckless drivers, all swaying to the erratic gloss of Wang Chung. Featuring a pre-MANHUNTER William Petersen in the lead and a deliciously evil Willem Dafoe as the villain, TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. showcases Friedkin's signature style, presenting a tough, dirty place where danger lurks at every turn. This film stands as a gritty triumph that's as violent and cynical as ever. And, yes, there's an all-time great car chase.