# At Close Range

At Close Range is a 1986 film about a teenage boy who joins his estranged father's crime syndicate in rural Pennsylvania. It is loosely based on the story of Bruce Johnston Jr., whose father — Bruce Alfred Johnston Sr. (1939–2002) — was the leader of Pennsylvania's notorious Johnston Gang.
    Directed by James Foley. Written by Nicholas Kazan and Elliott Lewitt, based on the downfall of the Johnston Gang.

## Brad Whitewood Sr.

* [to his sons Tommy and Brad Jr., after the departure of Lester Peralsky, an accomplice who became a police informant] Boy ain't got the life expectancy of a housefly.
* Most people who drive through here see farms. Houses, and fields, and shit. I see money, I see things, everything got my name writ' on it!

## Other

* Uncle Patch Whitewood: [to Brad Jr.] Let's me and you go into the next room and start sniffin' some ideas.

## Dialogue

    Ernie: Is that my beer you're drinkin'?
    Brad Jr.: There's a Colt 45, you can't afford it.
    Jill: You got a name?
    Brad Jr.: Brad?
    Jill: You don't sound so sure.
    Terry: You know, I know my mom; she's not gonna sit there. She's gonna call the cops after me. I mean, what are we gonna do?
    Brad Jr.: We got eighteen dollars left.
    Terry: I heard a lot about you.
    Brad Sr.: Nice things?
    Dickie: You ain't done nothin' nice, Brad!
    Terry: The answer is no.
    Brad Sr.: I ain't asking.
    Terry: The answer is no
    [Brad throws Terry on the bed and starts raping her]
    Brad Sr.: You scared yet? You oughta be.
    Terry: I'm not scared of you.
    Brad Sr.: You scared yet? No?
    Brad Sr.: Ever been out west, Tommy?
    Tommy: No.
    Brad Sr.: Ever heard a coyote?
    Tommy: No.
    Brad Sr.: They make this sound like "woo, woo, woo!" Coyote bitch gets in heat. First thing she does, she take care of the males. Then she heads toward town. All the neighborhood dogs, they smell her. They go crazy. They follow her. She lures them out on to the desert. Coyote get dog out there... alone. All the other coyote come along, they circle 'round... they kill that dog, eat it. Tommy, if you go in front of that grand jury, what will you say?
    Tommy: Nothing. [cries] Dad...
    Brad Sr.: LIAR! [he shoots him]
    Ernie: [referring to the TV] I need some sleep. You turn that damn thing on again, I'll beat the Jesus out of you.
    Brad Jr.: There ain't no Jesus in me, Ernie.
    Brad Jr.: Why are you lettin' me ask you all this?
    Brad Sr.: Because you gotta know. I gotta make sure you walk into this with your eyes wide, and know what you're doin' and who you're with. Especially—you know, it's a family situation. You go out with us once or twice. See how it is, then you decide if you still want it. 'Cause if you do, that's it. It's blood. Don't break it.
    Brad Jr.: Is this the gun you used?
    Brad Sr.: That's a nice looking gun.
    Brad Jr.: Is this the gun you used to kill Tommy? Tommy's dead isn't he?
    Brad Sr.: Don't even talk about Tommy.
    Brad Jr.: Is this the gun you used to kill Terry?
    Brad Sr.: I didn't do nothing to Terry.
    [Brad Jr. fires a shot]
    Brad Sr.: NO! NO! WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!
    Brad Jr.: IS THIS THE GUN YOU USED ON EVERYONE? ON ME? Is this the family gun Dad?

## Cast

* Sean Penn - Brad Whitewood Jr.
* Christopher Walken - Brad Whitewood Sr.
* Mary Stuart Masterson - Terry
* Chris Penn - Tommy Whitewood
* Millie Perkins - Julie
* Eileen Ryan - Grandma
* Tracey Walter - Uncle Patch Whitewood
* R. D. Call - Dickie
* David Strathairn - Tony Pine
* J. C. Quinn - Boyd
* Candy Clark - Mary Sue
* Jake Dengel - Lester
* Kiefer Sutherland - Tim
* Crispin Glover - Lucas
* Stephen Geoffreys - Aggie
* Alan Autry - Ernie
* Noelle Parker - Jill

## External links

* At Close Range quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* At Close Range at Rotten Tomatoes
* At Close Range at Allmovie