Sean Penn is one of our greatest actors, and an example of how fine an actor he’s always been is provided in “BAD BOYS,” a tough, gritty, prison drama, available from ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT.

Directed by Rick Rosenthal, “BAD BOYS” is far better than one would expect from the man responsible for “HALLOWEEN 2.”  Sean Penn stars as Mick O’Brian, a petty street hood, whose one redeeming quality is the love of his girlfriend. After screwing up the robbery of a drug dealer, Mick is sentenced to a juvenile prison, where he faces the daily rites of passage, just to stay “somewhat” safe. There’s no confusion that we’re supposed to be rooting for Mick, and that’s made easier by meeting the scum he’s thrown in with.  One thing that’s a bit disheartening, however, is that we’re also supposed to care about one particular character who Mick befriends, and this kid is just “bad!”  The kind of kid who doesn’t mind burning people!  

Even with so many prison movies since this film’s original release, “BAD BOYS” still holds up well, and while not as violent as “AMERICAN ME,” it’s still pretty shocking in a few spots. 

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT has preserved the film’s original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with 16:9 enhancement. It’s a decent transfer, but colors are intentionally subdued, and while there’s some excessive grain, it’s intentional to help give the film the gritty look desired by the director.

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT has provided a Mono soundmix. Dialogue is always intelligible, but fidelity is limited. 

The film’s director provides a running commentary, and it’s great!  He displays a lot of passion for this film and the filmmaking process, and it’s contagious. In addition to covering the technical side of filmmaking, he spends a fair amount of time discussing the thematic structure and his approach to working with Penn.  

While this edition is slightly longer than the original American theatrical release, there’s no marker for “new” footage, and we couldn’t tell the difference. 

A theatrical trailer is included.