To Live and Die in L.A.

Name: To Live and Die in L.A.
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Action
Released: 1985-11-01
Rating: 7.123

A federal agent is dead. A killer is loose. And the City of Angels is about to explode.

User Score786 ratings

TMDB 7.116+19851h 56mEnglish

CrimeThrillerAction

Synopsis

When his longtime partner on the force is killed, reckless U.S. Secret Service agent Richard Chance vows revenge, setting out to nab dangerous counterfeit artist Eric Masters.

Director

William FriedkinFrom TMDB credits

Studio

SLM Production Group3 production companies

Release

November 1, 1985Released

Box Office

$17MBudget $6M

Top Cast

8 of 52

William L. Petersen

Richard Chance

Willem Dafoe

Rick Masters

John Pankow

John Vukovich

Debra Feuer

Bianca Torres

John Turturro

Carl Cody

Dean Stockwell

Bob Grimes

Darlanne Fluegel

Ruth Lanier

Michael Greene

Jim Hart

Trailers & Photos

Reviews

From TMDB users

griggs79

Jun 23, 2025

_To Live and Die in L.A._ is a sharp, cynical thriller where style trumps sentiment. Friedkin pairs bold visuals with a pulsing Tangerine Dream score, driving a fast, morally murky plot. Corruption spreads, rules bend, and no one stays clean. The car chase is a highlight—second only to _The French Connection_. Boldly killing off the lead mid-film, it bridges classic noir and modern thrillers. In this world, survival means faking it better than the rest.