A ruling is requested on whether the Chris Rock bike chase with Ice T chasing him counts; one objection is that it is short, and it is moved from aged-best into rewatchable scenes. — Bill Simmons
Riding the bike down the steps without flying over the handlebars is impressive. — Bill Simmons
The first scene with Nino, G Money and the stuttering guy (called Radio Rahim) in the Jeep, recalling playing ball as kids, lays out the relationships; a little hacky but liked. — Bill Simmons
Nino laying out the Carter complex leads into a money-making montage borrowed from Scarface; the best moment is holding up the vial and saying crack. — Bill Simmons
The plan for Fat Smitty and the Carter rollout is built like a real business, "Henry Ford type" and militant in its organization. — Bill Simmons
From the bridge-dangling opening credits through the money montage, the first 22 minutes are unassailably entertaining before the movie turns dark; the bridge drop with "wouldn't want to be you" is enjoyed. — Bill Simmons
Pookie explaining Nino's crack setup to Ice T's character is a really good scene.
The naked workers in the drug house were a first on film; the viewer, then in college in Massachusetts, was mesmerized, and the level of organization was new even to someone who knew dealers as a kid.
Nakedness in the movie is portrayed as stripping away humanity, including when Nino strips the Carter owner at gunpoint. — Logan Murdock
Pookie's cover getting blown after being placed around crack every day, followed by the building being blown up, is a good action sequence. — Bill Simmons
Nino and Ice T's character on the roof is a chess game with respect; an objection calls it hokey, Crash-level script cuteness that Nino killed the cop's mother, answered that the film had to establish a motive.
Nino's courtroom speech that the lawmakers, politicians and anti-legalization lobbyists are the guilty ones is played in full.
The raid scene where Nino, holding a dog, stabs Kareem Akbar is raised as missing from the list and possibly the coolest scene.
The omission of the raid scene is acknowledged as an accident. — Bill Simmons
In that meeting Nino requires everyone to wear black for the Carter's funeral and arrives with a chain and a sword in his cane, recalling Al Capone with the bat in The Untouchables and a Martin episode callback; Martin was supposed to be in the movie. — Van Lathan
The rooftop is called the winner and an iconic, Oscar-level scene inside a pop movie, with G Money's tearful plea and Snipes crying well. — Bill Simmons
Killing G Money is the moment Nino stops being one of the community; Scarface had even less reason to kill Manny, and older relatives could not believe Nino did his partner like that. — Van Lathan
A counterview says Nino believes his partner is after his place, and his face shows conflict as he hugs, kisses and almost spares him. — Logan Murdock
No character in the movie is redeemable, which makes it great; the rooftop scene is named the winner. — Logan Murdock
Bruce Willis was chosen after an extraordinary list of stars; Sam Neill was considered for Hans Gruber, while Tom Berenger and Don Johnson are the panel’s plausible McClane alternatives.
Because the source novel followed an earlier Roderick Thorp book adapted with Frank Sinatra, Sinatra reportedly held a contractual right of refusal.
Tom Berenger and Don Johnson are proposed as alternatives who could have worked, though the released film would have been less iconic.
Nick Nolte is rejected as physically and tonally wrong for the required action.
Sam Neill is reported as considered for Hans Gruber, but Alan Rickman is treated as impossible to replace after seeing the performance. — Chris Ryan
The panel wonders whether Chris Rock or a Wayans brother was considered for Argyle and asks what the final Argyle shortlist looked like; the transcript does not resolve it. — Bill Simmons
The script was written with DJ Poo (as transcribed) as Smokey, but New Line would not sign off because he was not a big enough star, which one host calls a smart move; Chris Tucker, not yet established but on the rise, auditioned for Cube and the rest is history.
Pooh as Smokey would not have worked, but he killed it as Red, a lovely part, especially the way he jangles back to the car after asking about his beach cruiser.
Tommy Davidson and Chris Rock were also considered for Smokey; Rock is rejected as too New York, more famous than Tucker in 1995 but not computing in the role, and his doing Tucker's physical comedy would look like overacting, Tucker reading as a younger, more exuberant spirit where Rock can be hardened.
Tommy Davidson was also supposed to play the crackhead Ezal; Angela Means, who plays Felicia, has said her agents wanted her to pass because she was so pretty and should have played the pretty girl, which one host finds fair.
A hypothetical recast: Viola Davis as Mrs. Jones, the comedic but strict mother Anna Maria Horsford plays; Davis rarely gets comedic, motherly roles and is pushed into intense crying parts, so the hosts wonder what the role would have looked like with her in 1995 or in a reboot, though whether she was old enough twenty years ago is questioned.
An 11-episode Netflix show is accepted; the Devlin MacGregor plot is more believable now than in 1993. — Bill Simmons
One participant picks Mark Ruffalo as Kimble for his mix of intelligence, innocence and looking aggrieved.
Jon Hamm is proposed, then said to also have been another participant's choice: a believable doctor with a great jaw and big charismatic TV star.
Ruffalo's case is defended with a 'they knew' sequel joke, but he is later dismissed as busy with the Hulk.
The marshal should be Black or a woman to change the dynamic, with Viola Davis suggested; the pairing lands on Hamm and Viola.
Joey Pants could come out of retirement as an older Cosmo.
For a male minority Gerard, someone with a comedian background is suggested, with Chris Rock raised, and Idris Elba is proposed; Elba is questioned on sarcasm but defended via Molly's Game and Luther.
Liam Neeson as an older fugitive would not survive the dam; Brad Pitt would have been a great fugitive in a movie version. — Chris Ryan
A tech-era version would need to handle the internet, which makes it less of a pure ride; Will Smith basically already did it. — Andy Greenwald
Michael Shannon is suggested as Sam Gerard; one participant dislikes him.
The Fugitive should be a binge-watch show; a series could have a different fugitive, director and writer every season.
