Next of Kin [Blu-ray]

How Was This Movie Missed In The Mainstream?
Quick - can you name a movie that has Ben Stiller, Patrick Swayze, Helen Hunt, Liam Neeson, Bill Paxton, and Adam Baldwin in it? Probably not, as most people can't, and what a shame. "Next Of Kin" is a fine portrayal of the "Eastern Mountain Way" as well as the love of family and the bond of brothers.

I enjoyed this movie greatly. Although the plot has been somewhat rehashed many times the performances here stir emotion. Especially Liam Neeson's. If not for his performance in this movie I probably would have given it 4 stars, but he shines brightly here. The loyalty and love of his character combined with the contempt and anger of his character, what a great performance.

When this movie first came out I didn't even know it. I don't know how it fell off the radar screen before ever being noticed but it is cerainly worth a look.

Buy it - enjoy it, over and over.

Underrated
In terms of just pure plot, Next of Kin is -- in many ways -- a typical example of the unconventional cop vs. the mob film genre of the 1980s...However, if Next of Kin is ultimately a genre piece, its still a better-than-average example of the what the genre is capable of. Certainly, its probably the only film ever made by Patrick Swayze that can legitimately be called underrated.

Plotwise, the film sounds almost like a parody. Patrick Swayze is a former hillbilly from Appalacia Country who has left behind his rustic family to become a big city cop and to romance sophisticated music teacher Helen Hunt. (Is there a reason why big city cops with simple backgrounds always seem to end up romancing music teacers in these films?) Swayze's younger brother Bill Paxton also comes to the city, to pursue a life of petty crime that ends up getting him killed by mobster Adam Baldwin which leads to yet another Swayze brother coming down to the city, this one played by Liam Neeson. As Neeson...

Overlooked gem
I loved this movie before I knew who Liam Neeson, Helen Hunt, Ben Stiller, Bill Paxton were! I still love it today. My younger brother knew that I had been wanting to see it again and he gave me my own copy for my birthday. I don't know why Adam Baldwin is listed here as the star, though. Patrick Swayze and Liam Neeson are clearly the stars of this movie. If you live in the South, then you realize the closeness of these people and their desire to avenge their family is not too far fetched. There are so many interesting characters in this movie. I have always felt that one day someone would be digging around and unearth this old gem.

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