Watch F/X

F/X is a riveting 1986 film that explores the life of a special effects expert named Rollie Tyler, played by Bryan Brown. Rollie is hired by the Justice Department to stage a faked assassination of a mafia boss, hoping to secure his testimony against a corrupt police officer. However, the events quickly take a dangerous and unexpected turn when Rollie's best friend and ex-partner is found dead, leading Rollie to suspect that he has been set up as the fall guy.

The film opens with Rollie demonstrating his impressive special effects skills to a group of film executives. It's obvious that Rollie has an incredible imagination and an innate ability to create illusions that are both realistic and convincing. However, Rollie is reluctant to take on any more work in the film industry as he's looking to pursue a quieter life.

This changes when he receives a visit from a government agent named Lipton, played by Cliff De Young. Lipton offers Rollie a job to stage a fake assassination of a mafia boss, hoping to use it as leverage to force him to testify against a corrupt police officer. Initially, Rollie is hesitant to take on the job, but the $30,000 fee is too tempting to resist.

Rollie begins the process of staging the fake assassination with the help of his close friend and former partner, Mike, played by Jerry Orbach. The special effects team works around the clock to create realistic bullet squibs and blood effects, and on the day of the fake assassination, everything seems to be going well. However, things take a dangerous turn when Rollie realizes that the victim he presumed was using fake blood is actually dead.

The rest of the film follows Rollie as he tries to unravel the conspiracy and prove his innocence while staying one step ahead of both the police and the Mafia. Along the way, he teams up with an attractive art director named Ellen, played by Diane Venora, who is initially suspicious of Rollie but ultimately becomes his ally.

Brian Dennehy also delivers a standout performance in F/X, playing a dogged detective named Leo McCarthy. McCarthy is initially convinced that Rollie is the murderer, but as he gathers more evidence, he begins to realize that there's more to the story than meets the eye.

One of the things that makes F/X so compelling is the way that it seamlessly blends elements of both action and thriller genres. The film contains plenty of thrilling chase scenes and shootouts, but it also features plenty of moments of suspense and tension as Rollie tries to outsmart his pursuers.

Another thing that stands out about F/X is the strong performances delivered by the entire cast. Bryan Brown is a charismatic lead who is able to effortlessly convey the mix of intelligence, cunning, and vulnerability that is required for the role. Meanwhile, Brian Dennehy provides a formidable opponent as Detective McCarthy, who is determined to bring Rollie to justice, no matter the cost.

Overall, F/X is a thrilling and pulse-pounding film that delivers plenty of action and suspense, while also exploring deeper themes of loyalty, trust, and the murky world of law enforcement. It's a film that has stood the test of time and still holds up today as a classic example of a smart and engaging thriller.

F/X is a 1986 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 71.