The Night of the Juggler is a product of its time. This film has been out-of-print since VHS. Shot and released in 1980, it was at the tail end of the sleazy era of New York, just before the city turned the tide and the corner. There is racist dialogue here, there is violence, there is slimy behavior. The events that begin about five minutes into the film are set in motion by all of the Big Apple's problems. An abduction of a child and attempt at ransom by a former landowner to save his property. Don't pity this guy, though. He's USDA grade A turd.
The film is relentless. To the point that my wife and editor, and myself needed to take a break. Not to escape any graphic content, but grab a breather from the pace. James Brolin (70's B-movie star, and father of the deeply gifted Josh) has his daughter grabbed almost before his eyes, by the above mentioned stool sample. What follows is a combo foot/car chase that rivals most of what Hollywood has offered before and since. Brolin's character, Sean, is a former clean cop, who was easily cut loose by the New York cost-cutting police layoffs because of that specific characteristic. His straight edge handling of law enforcement was a liability to the NYPD. He's kind of a low grade Frank Serpico in that sense. Beard and hair included. Right now he's a man on a straight forward mission: Get the Hell out of my way, I'm getting my daughter back.
The police corruption end of it is just breezed over however as why he lost his job and his marriage. Because enough of that, it gets in the way of the pace. Sean escapes multiple times from both the cops and gang-bangers and pimps. (fast-paced long stories all, escapes in refreshingly sloppy uncoordinated realistic fights). People fade in and out. Heroic Puerto Rican (!) cab driver Mandy Patinkin and crazy-eyed crooked shotgun pumping detective Dan Hedaya are gone as quick as they appear. Answers appear from the strangest places, as well as allies.
The movie never stops. It never lets up. You don't have time to decide exactly HOW offensive it actually is. It is a shame it was never meant to be a box office hit, because I believe, and firmly, that the cast and crew had to probably be hospitalized for exhaustion after filming.
Juggler's villain is weak, never terrifying, just weird, and frankly stupid. This doesn't really qualify as a horror film, and the Juggler doesn't help that fact. However, the perpetually adrenalized state of the thing is kind of scary in and of itself. Not gonna forget this one anytime soon.
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