Lethal Weapon – Fools Rush In

By starrymag | December 11, 2017

By: Jessica Wolff

 

On Hollywood Boulevard, a cop (Bill Learman) chases a mugger (Cory DeMeyers) through the crowd.  The mugger hides in an alley dumpster, but jumps out and throws the stolen purse at the cop before running away.  The cop sees dripping blood and a dead body inside the dumpster.

 

Trish Murtaugh (Keesha Sharp) informs Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) that a spot opened up at a prestigious preschool that she put Harper on the waiting list for.  Murtaugh doesn’t understand the importance, and Trish plays him a video about the school. Murtaugh gets excited about the prospect, but Trish warns him that the school has strict rules, including no television or pop culture in the home.  He declares that he’ll burn the TV if it means Harper can attend.  Trish tells him that a representative will interview them, but warns him not to go overboard.

 

At a restaurant, Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford) criticizes a couple for requesting their order to their liking, causing them to storm out.  Molly (Kristen Gutoskie) yells at him and asks him if he has anywhere better to be.  He says he doesn’t, and she asks him to explore Los Angeles with her.  Riggs rants about the customers, and Molly tells him to stop talking before kissing him.  He freezes, and she tells him that they’re going on a date.

 

The next day, Murtaugh talks to Riggs about the preschool but Riggs makes a comment about life always letting you down.  Murtaugh asks what’s wrong with him, and Riggs admits Molly kissed him.  Murtaugh teases Riggs, and then tells Scorsese (Johnathan Fernandez). Riggs requests that they focus on the dead body, and Scorsese tells them that the man was shot in the head and dragged to the dumpster.

 

Riggs and Murtaugh show the landlord a picture of the victim, and she identifies the rug the victim is laying on as belonging to a neighbor down the hall.  They find the apartment door open and find a number of papers detailing conspiracy theories hanging on the walls.  Riggs and Murtaugh talk about Molly, and Riggs comments that everything he touches blows up.  He opens the suspect’s computer and finds a countdown to self-destruct.  Riggs pushes Murtaugh out of the apartment and the computer shuts down before exploding.

 

Riggs gives Maureen Cahill (Jordana Brewster) a file on the suspect and asks for a psych evaluation.  She looks at the file, but tells Riggs that she’d need to speak to the suspect to get an accurate evaluation. Riggs hesitates, and Cahill asks if there’s something else.  He quickly denies it and leaves the office before returning and ranting about Molly.  Cahill doesn’t see a problem with the evolution of their relationship, but Riggs admits that Molly is the one part of his childhood that wasn’t a disaster.  She tells him that she doesn’t think it’s so bad, but Riggs refuses to believe her.

 

Sonya Bailey (Michelle Mitchenor) tells Murtaugh that the suspect’s name is a fake name.  She identifies the victim, and concludes from his previous burglary charges that the suspect killed the victim when he attempted to break in to his apartment.  Murtaugh remarks that it’s a better theory that the one on the apartment walls, and Sonya admits that she believes some of the theories.  She finds a photo of a woman in the apartment, and they conclude that the suspect must be targeting her next.

 

They bring in Andi (Fiona Gubelmann) and her daughter, Kate (Scarlett Fernandez).  Murtaugh shows them a sketch of the suspect, and Kate immediately identifies him as her father, Jonah (Derek Richardson).  She tells Murtaugh that her dad is a superhero and that he’ll come home once he’s done saving the world.  Sonya takes Kate away, and Murtaugh tells Andi they need to talk.  She denies that Jonah is a killer, and explains that they live separately because he has schizophrenic episodes.  She vouches that he wouldn’t hurt anyone and he is brilliant.  Murtaugh asks where they can find him and she tells him that he plays chess in a local park.

 

Riggs and Murtaugh arrive at the park, and they spot Jonah playing chess with himself.  He runs when Riggs calls out to him, but Riggs chases him and corners him.  Jonah points a gun at him and asks who he works for, and then points the gun at himself.  Riggs tells him that Kate is waiting for him to come home, but Jonah insists that his family is better off without him.  Riggs compares his sentiments to his experience with Molly, and asks Jonah to shoot him so he doesn’t have to go on a date with her and ruin things.  Murtaugh jumps onto Jonah from the balcony, and Riggs is annoyed that he has to go on the date.

 

In the interrogation room, Jonah insists that he didn’t kill anyone.  Riggs gives him the evidence against him, and he insists that he’s being framed.  Jonah tells him that he discovered something, and they’re framing him to keep him quiet.  Riggs asks who they are, and Jonah insists that Elvis Presley is behind it.  After being told that Elvis is dead, Jonah denies it and tells him that Elvis is controlling traffic.  Sonya watches a video of Jonah presenting his theory about Elvis, but Murtaugh insists that Jonah is the killer.  When Sonya believes that Jonah’s theory might be correct, Murtaugh laughs at the idea.

 

Scorsese tells them that the name of the victim changed after running the fingerprints a second time.  Sonya tries to look it up, but loses control of the computer as a message about Jonah appears on the screen.  She concludes they’re being hacked, and they decide to investigate the address given to them.  When they arrive, a drone greets Riggs and Murtaugh and talks to them.  Murtaugh talks loudly at the drone, and bickers with Riggs when he makes fun of him.  Riggs shoots the drone, and concludes that the person operating the drone is nearby.

 

They stop a van and detain Randy (Tim Braun) and Kumail (Rishi Arya), who explain that they hacked the police to give them information without implicating themselves.   They warn Riggs and Murtaugh that Jonah is dangerous and that they sold him hacking software he was using for bombs.  Cahill gives Jonah a sedative, as he prepares for transport to a hospital.  Later, Jonah pulls the pills out of his mouth and Cahill sees the ambulance pull over.  She looks inside to see the driver and guard knocked out and Jonah drives away in her car.

 

Riggs tells Cahill that he wants to find Jonah and solve the case so Jonah can reunite with his family.  She offers her assistance, and Molly arrives at the station, yelling at Riggs for not calling her.  Riggs tells Molly that he made a list of reasons why they shouldn’t date, and introduces her to Cahill.  He is unable to find the list,  and Molly tells him to pay for her parking.  After she leaves, Cahill comments that she likes her.

 

Trish greets Dr. Weir (Alexie Gilmore), and Murtaugh brings down Harper.  Murtaugh tries to act formal, but overdoes it, and ignores Trish’s concerns.  During the interview, Murtaugh embellishes Harper’s traits and talents.  Trish sets Harper down, and Murtaugh tells Weir that they’re following the “Riggs” method of parenting.  Murtaugh explains the method by describing Riggs, and Trish grips his hand as she tries to correct him.  Harper brings Trish the television remote, but Murtaugh lies that it’s Harper’s art project.

 

Riggs insists to Cahill that he doesn’t want to talk about Molly, but Cahill tells him that she’s noticed that all of Jonah’s notes are written on placemats from the same diner.  They go to the diner, and show the waitress (Sandra Benton) a photo of Jonah.  She tells them he was just there and they see him standing outside. Cahill asks what the device in his hand is, and he shows them that he can use it to manipulate traffic by causing a car crash.  Riggs admits that he might not be crazy, but then says he’s a little after Jonah tells them they need to stop Elvis.

 

After taking medication, Jonah maintains his theory of Elvis controlling traffic, but clarifies that he means Elvis impersonators on Hollywood Boulevard.  He explains that he witnessed them installing the traffic-controlling device and that they’ve been following him ever since.  Riggs clarifies that their victim was killed because the Elvis impersonators mistook him for Jonah and that he was trying to prevent a terrorist attack.  Jonah tells Riggs that he needs to believe him.

 

Trish calls Murtaugh, and tells him that the preschool rejected Harper because of him.  Murtaugh apologizes, and Trish expresses frustration that the traffic lights on Hollywood haven’t changed.  He hangs up and Sonya shows him that the area was gridlocked.  On Hollywood Boulevard, Gold Elvis (Corey Eubanks) changes the traffic lights to red and an armored truck pulls into an alley.  He jumps in front of the truck and pulls a gun on the driver when he steps out.  Aloha Elvis (Kevin Foster) forces the passenger to step out and the two Elvis impersonators steal the truck.

 

Riggs interrupts the tour guide (David Magidoff) of the bus tour as he walks past him and joins Molly on the tour.  She accuses him of following her, and he admits he tracked her phone.  He tells her that he found his list, and explains that he doesn’t want things to be weird between them.  She comments on the list, and insists to Riggs that there are more reasons she can add.  Riggs gets a call from Murtaugh about the situation.  He spots the armored truck nearby and tells the bus of tourists that Tom Cruise is in a nearby building.  They clear the bus, and Riggs gets control of the bus by showing the driver his badge.

 

Molly refuses to leave, telling him that he’s going to listen to her reasons they shouldn’t date.  He calls out her stubbornness and she tells him to add it to the list.  Riggs drives after the armored car, and Molly begins listing reasons.  She tells him that them dating is scary, but that it’s good that they have something to lose.  Murtaugh drives towards the armored truck, and Molly demands that Riggs let her drive since she is better at it.  He lets her and jumps on top of the truck from the top of the bus.

 

One of the Elvis impersonators shoots at Riggs while the other drives. Riggs takes him out and holds on to the top of the truck.  He shoots the driver, who doesn’t take his foot off the gas pedal.  Murtaugh gets in front of the truck and slows it down with the collision.  He manages to stop it before they hit a sidewalk of pedestrians, and notices Weir walking out of the movie theater.  As the impersonator is arrested, Molly pulls up next to them and asks Riggs out.

 

Murtaugh goes to the preschool and gains Harper’s admission by blackmailing Weir with a video proving that she doesn’t uphold the school’s no pop culture rule.  Riggs informs Jonah that Elvis pleaded guilty, and Jonah thanks him for believing him.  Jonah’s family arrives, and he embraces Kate before they leave together.  Cahill asks about his day with Molly, and Riggs tells her that they’re going out tonight.  She comments that she thinks they are perfect for each other, but Riggs replies that they are perfect because they are terrible for each other.

 

At the end of the day, Molly tells Riggs that she’s tired of sightseeing and asks him to show her what he does around here.  They break into Murtaugh’s kitchen and drunkenly make milkshakes.  The lights come on and they hide.  Murtaugh asks what they’re doing there, and Riggs shows him that he’s on a date with Molly.  He expresses his dissatisfaction, and warns them not to have sex in his kitchen as he goes back upstairs.  Riggs and Molly laugh and share a kiss.