#152. Against All Odds (1984)

DVD Synopsis: Dark passions explode in this steamy, sinister love story starring Rachel Ward and Jeff Bridges. Terry Brogan (Bridges), a cynical ex-football star, is hired to find Jessie Wyler (Ward), the runaway mistress of a ruthless L.A. nightclub owner, Jake Wise (James Woods). According to Jake, Jessie had stabbed him and vanished with $50,000. But Terry's mission is soon forgotten when he tracks down and falls in love with the beautiful Jessie on a Mexican island. Trouble brews, however, when Jake dispatches his henchman, Hank Sully (Alex Karras), to bring the lovers back. Driven by passion for the mysterious young woman, Terry quickly finds himself trapped in a complex web of corruption, betrayal, and murder. Packed with riveting excitement and vivid sensuality, Against All Odds grabs you and never lets go.

When most people think of Against All Odds, it's not the movie that's on their mind, but the Phil Collins song, which hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1984 and was nominated for Best Original Song by both the Academy and the Golden Globes. Even today, this ballad gets regular play on the radio, and is considered a classic, a timeless anthem to longing and lost love. It's popularity has far surpassed that of the film it was written for.

But not for me. 

Whenever I hear that song, I immediately think back to this movie, to the images and events that made it such a great viewing experience; the red-hot chemistry brewing between Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward, the story chock full of passion and intrigue, the beautiful Mexican landscape, the kick-ass race through the streets of L.A., and the brilliant performance by James Woods, playing a guy you're never quite sure about. 

Like millions of others, I count myself a fan of Phil Collins' tune, but only because of the memories it conjures up. Against All Odds is a great song, but it was a great movie first.

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WARNING: CLIP CONTAINS FOUL LANGUAGE