GuessWho

It seems like an 80’s phenomenon, but I’ve noticed a few movies that all have the same pattern:

--Main character is cocky and directionless.
--Best friend dies.
--Main character suddenly gets serious about life and motivated to make something of himself

My picks:

--Top Gun
--An Officer & a Gentleman
--Cocktail

Any others?

ArchibaldTuttle

to live and die in la, but chance doesn't really "make something of himself" he kind of just becomes even more crazy, like he has a death wish

johnglass

The Outsiders

sho kosugi

Enter the Ninja

Achtung

Rudy

I guess he's not cocky at the start, but definitely directionless.

Dr. DVD

Rocky IV, though not much of a cocky case
Just about any action movie involving a hothead rogue cop and an older officer not too far from retirement save for the Lethal Weapon movies.

Transfomers the movie maybe?

Kudama

Benji the Hunted (when the eagle gets one of the cougar kittens Benji starts resorting to lethal tactics and murders a wolf.)

davidlynchfan

Beverly hills cop

Crocker Jarmen

Not restricted to the 80's. Two nights ago I was watching The Sting, which has the very same 'best friend dies' set up.

Inverse

Well in the case of the Sting, it's the set-up, not the conclusion.

Dr. DVD

While whether or not it is the best friend is debatable, I'll throw out The Untouchables.

talemyn

Bloodsport

Kumar J

The Jackal

Goldberg74

I can't believe that no one has said Star Wars... (even though it is 1977)

Trigger

who's best friend died in star wars?

RyoHazuki

Biggs. Luke's best friend.

Trigger

Biggs? who the hell is biggs? Jason Biggs? I thought his aunt and uncle died.

C-Mart

I think they are thinking of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Biggs dies at the very end, hardly a motivation for Luke to succeed.

RyoHazuki

Uncle Owen and Beru were the reason Luke stayed because they wouldn't let him run away with a crazy old hermit, not because he wasnt motivated.


I think that seeing Obi-Wan die made Luke want to save the world(s).

Dr. DVD

Maybe Obi-Wan vs. Darth Maul in TPM?

Dr. DVD

Tombstone-Wyatt's brothers were technically his best friends and one of them dies and the other one is injured.

Eplicon

How about the first Back to the Future, in the first version of the timeline?

the big train

Rocky III

Rocky's goofin' around, making money off all these sham bouts. Clubber kicks his ass because Rocky wasn't serious about training. Mick dies. Rocky gets the "Eye of the Tiger."