Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- hard boiled
- violent
- pulpy
- retro action night
- charles bronson marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a violent but thin and often tiresome Charles Bronson crime thriller with occasional amusement and energetic incident.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jack Murphy is accused of murdering his ex-wife and must investigate the real killer while being hunted by police.
Murphy escapes handcuffed to foul-mouthed car thief Arabella McGee, creating the film's central uneasy alliance.
The critical reception repeatedly characterizes the film as a very violent urban crime potboiler packed with extreme incidents.
Veteran detective Jack Murphy relies on police experience and forceful persistence to clear his name and punish the killer.
Films like Murphy's Law, and why
10 to Midnight
shared 1980s urban crime thriller framework, hard-boiled police protagonist, and revenge-driven pursuit
Death Wish 3
shared charles bronson vehicle format, vigilante-adjacent justice, and violent urban action
Running Scared
shared buddy-cop tension, fugitive investigation, and brisk action-crime plotting
Movie Details
- Director
- J. Lee Thompson
- Release Date
- 1986-04-18
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (182)
Cast
- Charles Bronson
- Kathleen Wilhoite
- Carrie Snodgress
- Robert F. Lyons
- Richard Romanus
- Angel Tompkins
- Bill Henderson
- James Luisi
- Janet MacLachlan
- Clifford A. Pellow
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Murphy's Law about?
- A framed veteran detective handcuffed to a car thief races through an unforgiving city to expose the killer who destroyed his life.
- What is Murphy's Law like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Murphy's Law as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Murphy's Law violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Murphy's Law as graphic.
- What did critics think of Murphy's Law?
- Critics broadly found the film a violent but thin and often tiresome Charles Bronson crime thriller with occasional amusement and energetic incident.
- Which films are like Murphy's Law?
- Films with a similar feel include 10 to Midnight, Death Wish 3, and Running Scared.
- How long is Murphy's Law?
- Murphy's Law runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Murphy's Law?
- In United States, Murphy's Law is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store.
