Lethal Weapon – Let It Ride

By starrymag | November 13, 2017

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

At a horseracing club, Howard (Craig Ricci Shaynak) places a big bet and declares to the Teller (Jason Ross-Azikiwe) that he’s feeling lucky.  He tries to get a seat at a fancy clubhouse, but runs when he sees two men spot him.  As he cheers on his horse from the crowd, someone sticks a syringe into his neck.  He turns around and collapses as his horse is declared the winner.  On the beach, Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford) wakes up to find his trailer is gone.

 

Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) complains to Trish Murtaugh (Keesha Sharp) that Roger Jr. took all of their food and declares that from now on the costs will be taken out of his inheritance.  Murtaugh asks why the ribs are still there, and Trish shows him the note he left that says that he is now a vegetarian.  Upon seeing it, Murtaugh declares that he’s out of the will altogether and Trish is in disbelief that he’s still working on it.  Murtaugh tells her that he’s approaching it carefully, but Trish doesn’t feel that it should be that difficult.

 

Riggs bursts in and tells them he needs to use their shower.  Murtaugh asks why he can’t use his and Riggs tells him that the trailer was towed.  He can’t believe they’re accusing him of trespassing, and Trish reminds him that he was parking on public land.  Riggs justifies himself by saying that he’s part of the public and asks if there are laws to protect him.  Trish believes that he’s referring to the Homestead Act of 1862, and asks if he called the city.  Riggs says he hasn’t and Murtaugh asks to speak to Trish outside.  Trish refuses to help Riggs, saying that she is unable to.  Murtaugh tells her they need to do something or else Riggs will squat at their house next.

 

Murtaugh and Riggs arrive at the crime scene to find Leo Getz (Thomas Lennon) there.  They ask what he’s doing there and Leo explains that Howard was his client.  He tells them that he threatened to sue the EMTs for trying to move the body, as he didn’t want them to contaminate the crime scene.  Sonya Bailey (Michelle Mitchenor) and Zach Bowman (Andrew Creer) come over and inform them that the death is not a homicide.  Leo insists that he was murdered, and asks if they’re going to believe the B-Team over him.  Sonya takes offense to the name, while Bowman misunderstands the name.

 

Leo begs Riggs and Murtaugh to believe him and tells them that Howard’s apartment was broken into.  They don’t believe him, but Riggs promises to look into it.  When Murtaugh asks why, Riggs shares his observation that Howard wasn’t looking at the race when he fell.  Murtaugh is skeptical, but Riggs lets Leo tag along.  Scorsese (Johnathan Fernandez) comments how unhealthy Howard was, and Riggs offers condolences to Leo for being wrong.  However, Scorsese shows them that he found poison in his blood and rules Howard’s death a homicide.  Leo announces that the band is back together, but Riggs and Murtaugh walk away from his outstretched arms.

 

At a bar, Leo makes a speech at Howard’s memorial service.  Murtaugh is in disbelief that the service is at a bar, but Riggs tells him that this is how he wants to go out.  Murtaugh tells him that he wants to put him in his will, but Riggs refuses the offer.  Despite Murtaugh’s insistence that it’s an honor, Riggs says that he won’t know where to put his portion.  Leo tries to raise a toast to Howard, but switches to the complimentary nuts when he finds out the bartender won’t give him beer for free.

 

Riggs and Murtaugh find that Leo was right about the apartment break-in.  Murtaugh asks if anything was stolen and Leo shows them an empty glass case that held a signed baseball bat that was given to Howard as a gift.  Murtaugh pointedly says that it’s a nice gesture to give something of emotional value to a friend, and they argue over Riggs’ refusal to be included in the will.  They go outside to argue at Leo’s request while an assailant attacks Leo in the apartment.  Leo stabs the man and he screams out, getting Riggs and Murtaugh’s attention.  They run inside to find Leo standing over the body with the bloody knife.

 

Leo gives his testimony of the incident to Brooks Avery (Kevin Rahm), who questions why Riggs and Murtaugh weren’t still in the apartment.  After Leo tells them that he told them to take their argument outside, Murtaugh explains the argument, and Avery is surprised that he’s including Riggs in his will.  Avery asks Murtaugh to leave him his bedroom set, and Leo reminds them that he is shaken about killing a man.  Sonya tells them that man Leo killed was proved to be at the scene when Howard was killed.  She tells them that he was enforcer for a man named Tony (Jeremy Luke), and Leo admits to doing legal work for him.  Murtaugh suggests that Howard owed Tony money, and Murtaugh decides to visit Tony’s tattoo parlor before telling Leo to stay at the station.

 

Riggs talks to Maureen Cahill (Jordana Brewster) about his trailer issue, and asks if he can sleep on her couch.  He argues that he’d never be late to work, and Cahill asks about staying with the Murtaughs.  Riggs declares that it wouldn’t work out, and Cahill suggests that he rent a place.  When he refuses, she asks why he’s avoiding dealing with the issue and tells him that she read about his dad in his file.  She states that he moved around a lot, and Riggs asks if investigating him is her job.  Cahill replies that helping him is her job, and Riggs gives a couple details about his childhood, declaring that he is who he is today because of his father.

 

In a flashback, a Young Riggs (Chase Mangum) and Nathan Riggs (Rex Linn) find an eviction notice on their front door.  Nathan grabs a baseball bat and breaks down the lock, declaring that they’re going to sleep in their house.  Riggs gets onto the elevator with Trish, who tells him that she wants to talk to him.  She tells him that she looked into his trailer situation, and tells him the city won’t give it back to him.  After explaining that he won’t be able to go back to the beach, she suggests finding a new place.  Riggs refuses Trish’s help, insisting that he’ll take care of it.

 

Murtaugh explains to Riggs that Trish was answering his non-verbal cry for help and tells him that he can live with them for now.  Riggs refuses, declaring that he’ll sleep outside.  Murtaugh gets offended and tells him that the offer is rescinded.  They go into the tattoo shop and Tony tells them they’re closed.  Riggs and Murtaugh see through it and ask to speak to Tony, before Riggs spots the stolen baseball bat in the shop.  Riggs accuses Tony of having Howard murdered, but Tony denies it.  Riggs finds a case with guns and a man pulls out a gun.  Murtaugh and Riggs fight off the men in the shop and Riggs aggressively attacks Tony with the baseball bat, causing Murtaugh to stop him.

 

Riggs and Murtaugh list Tony’s charges in custody, but Tony continues to insist that he didn’t murder Howard.  Murtaugh suggests that he killed him to make an example, but Tony responds that dead guys can’t pay their debts.  Tony tells them that Howard had come into a windfall before he died, but Riggs and Murtaugh laugh at the prospect.  He is unable to elaborate, and Riggs and Murtaugh tell Avery and Leo about what Tony said.  Despite Riggs and Murtaugh’s insistence that there is no windfall, Leo believes that there is and tasks Sonya and Bowman to help him investigate it.

 

As Riggs lies in his car, he flashes back to his younger self hiding from his abusive father in the trunk of the car.  Sonya, Bowman, and Leo search Howard’s apartment, and Bowman checks out his music selection.  Leo comments that Howard was definitely not a fan of one of the artists, and Bowman finds several recordings of the Jockey Club in the CD cases.  Murtaugh expresses his frustrations to Trish about Riggs, and she suggests that there are some people that he can’t fix.  Murtaugh answers the door and Leo bursts in, claiming that the case has been solved.  Before Murtaugh can question him, Riggs drunkenly drives a tow truck with his trailer into his driveway, crashing into the fence and bushes and declaring that he’ll stay there.

 

The next morning Riggs steps out of the trailer and assesses that damage.  He attempts to apologize to Trish, but she walks away from him unable to express her feelings.  Avery listens to the tapes of the Jockey Club, and Leo tells them that they found a log of every recording with one hour missing.  Leo identifies two men from a photo that were at Howard’s memorial and Bowman shows them the files he found on the suspects.  Murtaugh decides to investigate the club, and Leo asks to speak to him, telling him that Riggs is hurting.  Leo tells him that friendship is fleeting, and Scorsese brings Leo a jar of Howard’s ashes.  Scorsese asks what he’s going to do with them, and Leo explains that Howard left instructions.

 

Leo goes to the racetrack and requests a table at the club.  Murtaugh asks Riggs how his lawn is as they go to investigate the bar.  Leo pulls out Howard’s ashes and pours a spoonful into a potted plant, but is caught by the host.  Riggs and Murtaugh break open the window and climb inside, and Murtaugh finds a hole with a ladder in the bathroom floor.  Leo is escorted out of the club and recognizes the security guard as one of the suspects, Shane (Stephan Goldbach).  Shane points a gun at him and threatens to kill him like Howard if he talks.

 

The race gets underway and a masked man blows a hole into the room and climbs up attempting to rob the club’s money.  Riggs and Murtaugh hear the gunshots as several masked men load their bags with money.  Riggs and Murtaugh shoot the lookout man and then approach the ladder.  They climb up as the robbers leave, and chase after them.  Riggs and Murtaugh corner and shoot one of them and Murtaugh sees that Shane has a gun pointed at Leo.

 

As they walk, Leo gets Shane to admit that he killed Howard for ten grand.  Murtaugh approaches them and Shane threatens to kill his friend.  Murtaugh replies that Leo is an acquaintance, while Riggs and another robber, Mitch (Travis Hammer), yell at each other as they hide behind cover.  Murtaugh puts his gun down and Mitch shoots at Riggs before running.  Riggs chases Mitch, while Murtaugh encourages Leo to let Howard go.  Taking the hint, Leo throws Howard’s ashes to break free of Shane and Murtaugh shoots him while Riggs shoots Mitch.

 

Leo addresses the precinct and makes requests before congratulating the B-Team for their work.  He then thanks Murtaugh, but Murtaugh tells everyone to get back to work.  Murtaugh insists he would have saved anyone’s life, and Avery questions Murtaugh’s lawsuit of the city.  Leo admits that he filed it in his name, and expresses his excitement that they’ll be spending more time together.  Murtaugh tells him that he doesn’t need a lawsuit to hang out with him, and invites him to the movies.

 

Cahill gives Riggs some clothes and house items, and tells him that he’s not on his own when he tries to protest.  She tells him that people care about him, and Riggs works on repairing the fence.  Riggs admits to Trish that he’s never had a true home, and that his trailer being towed brought back bad memories.  She tells him that home is more than just a place and invites him to dinner.  Riggs agrees to be in Murtaugh’s will, and Murtaugh discusses terms with him and Trish as he finishes writing it.  Riggs make fun of his barbecue sauce and Murtaugh jokingly announces that he’s changing the will.  Riggs says goodnight and goes to his trailer, which is now parked in the Murtaugh garage.