Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- lurid
- tense
- cynical
- late night thriller viewing
- neo-noir marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film fast-paced, lurid, darkly entertaining, and well-crafted, while noting that its central marriage is thinly developed.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Harry’s affair is converted into videotaped leverage by pornographers demanding a large payment.
Harry avoids police involvement to protect Barbara’s political ambitions and tracks the blackmailers himself.
Alan’s charm and malevolent energy coexist with violence toward Doreen and menace toward Barbara.
The Los Angeles setting, videotaped affair, pornography business, and morally shadowed thriller style align with 1980s neo-noir.
Films like 52 Pick-Up, and why
Body Heat
shared neo-noir atmosphere, criminal manipulation, and morally compromised protagonists
The Grifters
shared elmore leonard crime sensibility, blackmail dynamics, and sardonic thriller energy
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
shared urban crime plotting, escalating menace, and protagonists forced into counteroffensive action
Movie Details
- Director
- John Frankenheimer
- Release Date
- 1986-11-07
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (160)
Cast
- Roy Scheider
- Ann-Margret
- Vanity
- John Glover
- Robert Trebor
- Lonny Chapman
- Kelly Preston
- Doug McClure
- Clarence Williams III
- Alex Henteloff
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is 52 Pick-Up about?
- A prosperous Los Angeles businessman battles a ruthless blackmail ring after an affair becomes a weapon against his family and his wife’s political future.
- What is 52 Pick-Up like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of 52 Pick-Up as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is 52 Pick-Up violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in 52 Pick-Up as brutal.
- What did critics think of 52 Pick-Up?
- Critics broadly found the film fast-paced, lurid, darkly entertaining, and well-crafted, while noting that its central marriage is thinly developed.
- Which films are like 52 Pick-Up?
- Films with a similar feel include Body Heat, The Grifters, and The Friends of Eddie Coyle.
- How long is 52 Pick-Up?
- 52 Pick-Up runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch 52 Pick-Up?
- In United States, 52 Pick-Up streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
