The Big Hit

Infobox_Film
name = The Big Hit

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director = Kirk Wong
writer = Ben Ramsey
editing = Pietro Scalia
starring = Mark Wahlberg,
Lou Diamond Phillips
producer = Warren Zide,
Wesley Snipes
distributor = TriStar Pictures
released = April 24, 1998
runtime = 91 min.
language = English
budget = $13,000,000
imdb_id = 0120609

"The Big Hit" is a comedy-action movie from 1998 which served as an acting vehicle for Mark Wahlberg and also starred Lou Diamond Phillips, with appearances by Christina Applegate, Avery Brooks, and Elliot Gould.

The film was shot in Hamilton,, and Pickering, Ontario, Canada.cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/List?endings=on&&locations=Hamilton,+Ontario,+Canada |title=Internet Movie Database - List of Films shot in Hamilton, Ontario|accessdate=2008-01-29]

ynopsis

Wahlberg plays Melvin Smiley, a hitman leading a secret life as well as maintaining two relationships, one with the demanding and demeaning Chantel, who doesn't accept his work, and another with Pam, who knows nothing of his job and has picky, xenophobic parents.

Quickly it is determined that Smiley is much of a pushover, trying to appease all of Chantel's demands, even her most expensive wishes, as well as rolling over whenever one of his co-workers takes credit for his achievements. Melvin is constantly drinking Maalox throughout the early scenes.

Feeling underpaid for their work from mob boss Paris (Brooks), the assassin team of Smiley, Cisco (Lou Diamond Phillips), Crunch (Bokeem Woodbine), take an independent job, to kidnap the teenage daughter (Keiko Nishi, played by China Chow) of a local electronics magnate (played by Sab Shimono) for a hefty ransom. Unfortunately, the team does not realize that Nishi has recently gone bankrupt over his failed foray into motion pictures -- and furthermore, their boss Paris is the girl's godfather.

Enlisted by the group to hold Keiko, Smiley has to hide the bound and gagged schoolgirl on his property, away from his girlfriend Pam and her family coming for dinner. Eventually Melvin feels sorry for the girl, and lets her out for a bit, and they hit off a rapport, preparing dinner together and leading into a love scene reminiscent of the pottery scene from "Ghost" which is cut short by the girl's attempted escape.

Ordered by Paris to discover the kidnappers of his god-daughter, a nervous Cisco kills his partner and frames Melvin for the kidnapping. A team of assassins crash Melvin's dinner with Pam's family, leading to a shootout during which Melvin realizes Pam was going to break up with him under pressure from her isolationist mother.

Melvin and Keiko's feelings drift towards an awkward romance, and Melvin attempts to escape from the fiasco with her in tow, pursued by Cisco. An extended fight erupts, culminating at a video store where the ever-honest Smiley stops to return an overdue tape, and though Smiley manages to kill Cisco, an explosive device destroys the building, leading to the speculation of Smiley's death. However, he is revealed to have survived, using an enormous movie stand-up made of solid gold (for Nishi's flop) as shelter from the blast.

Production

The Big Hit was filmed for the relatively low budget of 13 Million dollars and was produced by John Woo.

Cast

*Mark Wahlberg - Melvin Smiley
*Lou Diamond Phillips - Cisco
*Christina Applegate - Pam Shulman
*Avery Brooks - Paris
*Bokeem Woodbine - Crunch
*Antonio Sabato Jr. - Vince
*China Chow - Keiko Nishi
*Lainie Kazan - Jeanne Shulman
*Elliott Gould - Morton Shulman
*Sab Shimono - Jiro Nishi
*Robin Dunne - Gump
*Lela Rochon - Chantel
*Danny Smith - Video Store Kid
*Joshua Peace - Lance
*David Usher - Sergio

References

External links

Box Office Leaders USA
before = City of Angels
date = April 26
year = 1998
after = He Got Game

*imdb title|id=0120609|title=The Big Hit
*rotten-tomatoes|id=big_hit|title=The Big Hit