No Way Out: Cruise — Rewatch Index

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Podcast episode#354No. 366 overall

Movie year19871980s release

Tomatometer92%No. 22 of 128 tracked

Metacritic77View score

Roger Ebert4/4Original star rating

State of the raceHanks led by 310–7 · 0 ties

FROM THE CONVERSATION

What they said about the movie

The episode argues that No Way Out is a superior, highly rewatchable 1987 thriller because its twist, sexy DC milieu, and compact plotting all work together. The hosts praise Costner’s performance, Hackman’s horniness, Sean Young’s presence, and the movie’s distinctly 80s spy-politics vibe.

Based only on this episode’s transcriptTimes approximateSpeakers were clearly identifiedExplore the connections

In this conversation

Bill Simmons

Chris Ryan

Sean FennesseyCraig Horlbeck

WHY IT WORKS

What made it rewatchable

01The late twist radically changes the movie on rewatch and rewards close attention to early clues. Opening minutes
02Costner’s performance gains depth once the audience knows he is hiding information. Opening minutes
03The movie is a compact Hitchcock-style thriller with spycraft, noir, and melodrama elements. Opening minutes
04The Washington, D.C. locations and political atmosphere make it a distinctive time capsule. About 8 min
05The last 20 minutes, especially the Pentagon spy-hunt and reveal, are singled out as the most rewatchable stretch. About 48 min

WHAT DID NOT WORK

Their main criticisms

moderateThe Manila subplot feels unnecessary and could be cut without changing the movie much. About 40 min
minorThe limo sex scene is awkward and somewhat unclear in its logistics. About 1:12
moderateThe two henchmen are implausibly weak and unconvincing as elite killers. About 1:12
minorThe wheelchair-guy murder does not fully make sense to them. About 1:12 · medium confidence
minorSome 80s hair and fashion choices have aged badly. About 1:20

SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO

Standout moments

Favorite

Opening DC party and political introduction

The opening party introduces the central triangle and establishes the movie’s Washington atmosphere.

About 48 min

mixed

Manila/Philippines detour

An extended overseas sequence with spycraft and a wild action beat that they mostly enjoy but find extraneous.

About 40 min

positive

Susan and Tom’s limo ride

A steamy, funny limo scene that becomes a source of jokes about logistics and improvised blocking.

About 1:04

mixed

Susan’s death scene

A very 80s, slightly ridiculous fall-and-crash death that they nonetheless find entertaining.

About 1:12

Favorite

Tom learning Susan is dead

Costner’s reaction sells the twist and looks different on rewatch.

About 1:12

Favorite

Pentagon chase and office showdown

The finale, including the chase, stairwell fight, and power confrontation, is singled out as the best material.

About 48 min

WHERE THEY DISAGREED

The biggest debates

They partly agreed About 40 min

Is the Manila sequence necessary?

Bill Simmons
It could be cut and the movie would still work.

Sean Fennessey
It matters because it sets up the later spy explanation.

They left it as a friendly argument About 1:12

How much sense does the limo sex scene make?

Bill Simmons
The logistics are unclear and weird.

Chris Ryan
It is sexy enough that the oddness is part of the fun.

They agreed Opening minutes

Best twist movie of the era

Bill Simmons
No Way Out belongs among the top twist movies, maybe above some 90s examples.

Chris Ryan
It ranks with The Sixth Sense, Primal Fear, and The Usual Suspects.

15 People discussedActors, directors, writers, and producers

very favorableKevin CostnerBill Simmons: Praised for a strong, subtly coded performance that improves on rewatch and fits the twist. Opening minutes very favorableGene HackmanBill Simmons: Admired as 'Horny Hackman' and celebrated for his commanding, absurdly watchable presence. Opening minutes favorableSean YoungSean Fennessey: Seen as a uniquely memorable femme fatale whose appeal fits the era and the story. About 24 min very favorableWill PattonBill Simmons: Celebrated for an outlandishly intense, scene-stealing turn as Scott Pritchard. About 48 min

favorableImanBill Simmons: Mentioned as a striking, memorable supporting presence in a few scenes. About 1:20

favorableRoger DonaldsonBill Simmons: Credited for making a sleek, lurid thriller and for later genre work the hosts also like. About 32 min favorableRoger EbertBill Simmons: Used as the positive critic reference; Bill notes Ebert gave the film four stars. About 48 min criticalGene SiskelBill Simmons: Referenced as the critic who disliked the film despite Ebert’s enthusiasm. About 48 min

neutralCloris LeachmanBill Simmons: Referenced for a memoir anecdote about a one-night stand with Hackman. About 32 min

favorableSharon StoneSean Fennessey: Used as a comparison point for a similar screen magnetism and femme-fatale energy. About 24 min · medium confidence favorableMichelle PfeifferBill Simmons: Discussed as the alternate casting choice for Susan Atwell. About 1:20 neutralMallory RubinBill Simmons: Mentioned as someone invited to discuss the film, especially the limo scene, but she had not seen it. About 1:12

neutralFred Dalton ThompsonBill Simmons: Named as one of the supporting political figures in the movie. About 16 min

neutralHoward DuffBill Simmons: Mentioned as a supporting political figure; the hosts briefly confuse him with Joe Don Baker. About 1:04 · medium confidence

favorableGeorge DzundzaBill Simmons: Cited as another strong character actor in the film’s supporting cast. About 1:20

10 Conversation takesSpeakers shown only where the transcript identifies them

Bill SimmonsLoved it

No Way Out as a twist thriller

Calls it a superior thriller and one of the best twist movies ever.

Opening minutes

Chris RyanLoved it

the movie’s twist mechanics

Agrees that the twist elevates the film and makes rewatching rewarding.

Opening minutes

Sean FennesseyLiked it

DC melodrama vs 70s DC drama

Argues the movie is a lurid 80s melodrama rather than a serious 70s-style political drama.

Opening minutes

Bill SimmonsLoved it

the DC opening and city photography

Loves the opening DC establishing shots and the movie’s use of real Washington locations.

About 8 min

Bill SimmonsLoved it

Sean Young

Thinks Sean Young has a singular screen presence and is ideal for this role.

About 24 min

Sean FennesseyLoved it

Gene Hackman

Treats Hackman as the embodiment of 'Horny Hackman' and a unique movie star.

About 24 min

Bill SimmonsLiked it

the Manila sequence

Likes the bizarre Manila detour as a memorable, if disposable, action interlude.

About 40 min

Chris RyanLiked it

Tom and Susan’s flirtation and limo ride

Enjoys the sexy, slightly absurd limo and flirtation material, even while joking about it.

About 1:12

Bill SimmonsLoved it

the final Pentagon showdown

Thinks the last 20 minutes, especially Hackman’s confrontation, is the movie’s peak.

About 48 min

Craig HorlbeckLoved it

the twist ending

Says the twist wins the movie if allowed.

About 1:20

5 ThemesThe larger ideas in the discussion

Twist structure

The film’s central pleasure is that the audience reinterprets earlier scenes after the reveal.

Opening minutes

DC political eroticism

They frame the movie as an 80s DC thriller about power, desire, and sex in political circles.

About 8 min

Horniness and power

The hosts treat the movie as a story about lust, affairs, and status rather than ideology.

About 8 min

Cold War time capsule

The Russian-spy premise works as a simple, satisfying Cold War-era villain setup.

About 16 min

Performers elevating the material

Costner, Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton, and Iman are all praised for making the movie pop.

About 24 min

23 Facts and referencesProduction notes and other movies mentioned

Production note

The film is based on Kenneth Fearing’s 1946 novel The Big Clock and was previously adapted as The Big Clock in 1948.

About 32 min

Production note

Roger Donaldson later directed Cocktail, The Getaway, Species, 13 Days, and Dante’s Peak.

About 32 min

Production note

Roger Ebert gave the film four stars while Gene Siskel disliked it.

About 48 min

Production note

The movie earned about $35.5 million on a $15 million budget.

About 40 min

Production note

Sean Young said in interviews that she was comfortable taking her clothes off on film.

About 1:20

Production note

The limo scene was reportedly somewhat improvised around the up window.

About 1:20 · medium confidence

Production note

Costner did a number of his own stunts, including rolling over a car hood during a chase.

About 1:20

Production note

The movie’s opening shots show the Monument, White House, and Capitol in a sweeping DC aerial.

About 8 min

The Big Clock

Cited as the film’s source material and original story template.

Opening minutes

Parallax View

Used as a benchmark for 70s DC paranoia thrillers.

About 8 min

The Conversation

Mentioned as part of the 70s paranoia-thriller lineage.

About 8 min

All the President’s Men

Referenced to compare serious 70s DC filmmaking with this more lurid thriller.

About 8 min

The Sixth Sense

Used as a comparison for twist movies that improve on rewatch.

Opening minutes

Primal Fear

Another twist film they place alongside No Way Out.

Opening minutes

The Usual Suspects

Cited as a top-tier twist movie in the same class.

Opening minutes

Basic Instinct

Used as a comparison for erotic thriller style and reveal handling.

About 8 min

Dressed to Kill

Mentioned as another twist movie that is heavily telegraphed.

About 8 min

Color of Night

Cited as a bad, absurd twist movie.

About 8 min

Identity

Referenced as another ensemble-twist example.

About 8 min · medium confidence

The Firm

Used as part of Hackman’s horny late-career run.

About 24 min

Absolute Power

Another Hackman movie in the horny Hackman discussion.

About 24 min

Remember the Titans

Referenced as Will Patton’s later apex mountain.

About 48 min

A Quiet Place Part II

Only appears in a Paramount+ ad read, not as discussion evidence.

About 40 min · low confidence

12 Running jokes and short linesRecurring bits captured from the conversation

Horny Hackman

A recurring joke/fraimng that Hackman is unusually sexual and magnetic in many films.

About 24 min

Throw Your Life Away Hall of Fame

A joking category for femme fatales who can wreck men’s lives.

About 24 min

Gumar/Mistress talk

A long side conversation about mistresses, modern relationships, and movie storytelling.

About 16 min

Joe House in DC

Multiple jokes about Joe House, DC, and gambling/legal geography as a running color bit.

About 8 min

Will Patton overacting

Patton’s intense performance becomes a recurring joke and a named award category.

About 48 min

Siskel vs. Ebert

They playfully recount the critics’ split on the movie.

About 48 min

Russians as understandable villains

Bill returns several times to missing the era of clear Russian spy antagonists.

About 1:20

Sean Fennessey

“This is a Hitchcock movie that fucks.”

Opening minutes

Bill Simmons

“You have no idea what men of power can do!”

About 48 min

Bill Simmons

“Horny Hackman.”

About 24 min

Bill Simmons

“I think he was the Russian, Jim.”

About 1:20

Craig Horlbeck

“The twist wins the movie”

About 1:20

MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT

Where to watch

UNITED STATES

Checking where No Way Out is available…

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT

Movies to watch before and after.

Three movies to watch before No Way Out, and three to watch next.

Finding six movies…Three to watch first and three to watch next.

ON THE MIC

3 voices made the call

Bill Simmons125 tracked appearances · 56 H / 64 C / 5 ties

Chris Ryan77 tracked appearances · 36 H / 38 C / 3 ties

Sean Fennessey35 tracked appearances · 15 H / 17 C / 3 ties

CATEGORY CONTEXT

How its genres lean

Thriller34 movies7 H · 23 C Action30 movies9 H · 21 C

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