"P.J." is a late '60s study in neo-noir about a down-on-his-luck New York private eye, P.J. Detweiler (George Peppard). The plot kicks off with P.J. taking a bodyguard job for a wealthy tycoon's mistress, Maureen (Gayle Hunnicutt), who fears for her life. But is she really the target? From there, it's twists and turns, colorful characters, fights, murders, danger, more fights and a trip to the Bahamas just because. Oh, and a gay bar brawl. This film has everything. Anyway, before we know it, it's P.J. they're all trying to kill.
George Peppard delivers a cool and captivating performance as the cynical P.J. He brings the right amount of world-weariness and charisma to the role, making him a character you can root for despite his rough edges. If the film were a comedy (it's not but you can see it from there) Peppard would be the straight man tossed into a screwball world. P.J. gets beat up more than Jim Rockford...
Raymond Burr is a true standout as the rich and powerful, and possibly dangerous, tycoon, William Orbison. The chemistry between Peppard and Burr adds another layer of tension to the film. Orbison thrives on ordering people around and Burr pulls this off perfectly.
The production isn't top-notch, and it might feel a bit like a B-movie at times. However this adds to the overall grittiness. There is also a heavy midcentury esthetic to the film that feels right at home with the content. Most of the supporting characters are exaggerated stereotypes with just the right comic touch to avoid being silly. The plot too falls inline with these other aspects of the film. It is almost too twisty. I'm not even sure it makes sense in the end, and the final scene was unsatisfying, but somehow the whole package works. It's got the DNA of all that '70s detective TV.
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