Weekend Buff

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Every year there is a lot of talk, jokes, memes, scholarly debate, etc. on whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. That is an enigma that will perplex man for ages.

Oddly enough, the same debate does not exist around a similarly themed film. Lethal Weapon (1987) takes place in the days leading up to a Los Angeles Christmas. Palm trees and short sleeves bely the season, but Christmas plays a role in this redemptive story.

Sergeant Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is a suicidal LAPD narcotics investigator and former Special Forces soldier. His wife has recently died, and he is a tortured soul. His boss thinks the suicidal ideations are a scam to get a disability pension, but that is not the case. Riggs covers his deep pain with jokes and antics, but he is a hurting man. The holiday season is just a reminder of better days and heightens is desire to take his own life.

In an effort to settle him down, he is taken off his narcotics detail and is teamed up with Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), a family man and Vietnam Vet. Murtaugh quickly realizes that Riggs is in serious mental trouble, but when an old army buddy’s daughter is killed, his suicidal partner’s problems take a back seat to uncovering the facts around her death.

The two work the case, with Riggs providing laughs and Murtaugh playing the strait man in the unlikely pair. Both cops are dealing with a lot, but they have each other to lean on. Riggs takes wild chances, having no desire to live. Murtaugh has everything to lose, a family, a job, and a pension. The contrast between the two characters could not be more striking.

In between laughs, this movie will pull at your heartstrings. It is a tragedy, but in the end – spoiler alert – Riggs comes to peace with his demons and enjoys a Christmas dinner with Murtaugh and his family. He is a man redeemed.

Although it is an action/comedy, this movie deals with a very serious issue in policing. Every year about 200 cops take their own lives. It is a tragedy that effects all of us in law enforcement; the combination of years of death and human tragedy with ready access to firearms often result in tragedy. Please keep cops in your prayers this holiday season.

Lethal Weapon runs about 2 hours. It provides typical dark cop humor, a solid investigation, and solid action scenes. You can catch it for free on AMC or pay the usual $4 on streaming services. Enjoy this Christmas movie with a serious message.

Merry Christmas from The Ops Desk. Stay Safe!