Lethal Weapon – Ruthless

By starrymag | March 6, 2018

By: Jessica Wolff

 

 

The LAPD hosts a gun buyback program and Carlo (Lovensky Jean-Baptiste) observes before reporting to Booker (Sheaun McKinney) in the car. Carlo starts preparing for a robbery, but Booker asks why they’re doing it now instead of after dark like originally planned. He replies that the plan has changed and the other gang members in the car agree. Carlo leads them into the area while Booker reluctantly follows them.

 

Martin Riggs (Clayne Crawford) plays mahjong with Ruthie Krumholz (Swoosie Kurtz) in his trailer. She accuses him of cheating and finds several pieces hidden in his boot. Ruthie gets a call and Riggs hears her yelling outside about owing money. She tells Riggs she needs to leave. Riggs asks if she’ll come back, but she replies that she ‘s leaving for good and refuses to tell him whom she was talking to.

 

Riana Murtaugh (Chandler Kinney) and Roger Murtaugh Jr. (Dante Brown) comment on Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) sleeping on the couch again. Murtaugh denies it, and Riana suggests he apologize to Trish Murtaugh (Keesha Sharp). However, Murtaugh insists there’s nothing to apologize for and accuses her of sounding like her mother. Trish comes down and tells the kids to leave, despite Murtaugh insisting they can make their own decisions. The kids leave and Trish asks if there’s anything he wants to say and he asks her where his keys are. Trish realizes that he’s referring to the motorcycle keys and he tells her he’ll be outside riding it.

 

At the crime scene, Riggs asks Murtaugh what he’s doing, commenting that he talked to Trish. Murtaugh is offended that he’s taking Trish’s side, and Riggs tells him to apologize to Trish, making a mahjong analogy. Murtaugh insinuates that Riggs is dating Ruthie, and Riggs denies it. He tells Murtaugh that Ruthie is leaving, and Murtaugh replies that he can move on with someone from a nearby retirement community.

 

Riggs asks Zach Bowman (Andrew Creer) if it’s too early to punch Murtaugh in the face, and Bernard Scorsese (Johnathan Fernandez) tells him the question is rhetorical. Riggs observes the body and Scorsese explains that the gang member was shot by one of his own partners during the robbery. Bowman can’t imagine shooting his own partner in the back, but Riggs and Murtaugh both reply that they can as they glare at each other.

 

Murtaugh tells Brooks Avery (Kevin Rahm) that he found a way to get back at Trish, but Avery stops him and tells him that he wants to remain neutral after talking to Trish. Murtaugh angrily declares that Trish is using the isolation method and pulls out a copy of The Art Of War that he’s been reading. Avery encourages him to apologize, explaining that Trish is out of his league. However, Murtaugh insists he’s done nothing wrong and accuses Avery of taking sides.

 

Riggs and Murtaugh investigate a potential lead, and tensions between them continue to be high. Murtaugh admires a parked car and Toya (Taja V. Simpson) thanks him. She tells him that he appreciates a man who can appreciate the classics and compliments his motorcycle. He asks her about the stolen weapons and she tells him to talk to Booker.

 

Riggs approaches Booker as he plays dominoes with gang members and asks to play. Riggs sits down and asks about the stolen weapons. Booker denies knowing about them, and Riggs brings up the shooting of his own partner. Booker runs and Riggs chases him down the street before cornering him. Booker tells Riggs that he’s an undercover cop and tells him to hit him as a crowd gathers around them. Riggs is about to, but Murtaugh tackles Booker and arrests him.

 

In the interrogation room, Booker insists that he can’t give up the location of the guns until he finishes his undercover operation. Murtaugh doesn’t believe his claims, telling him he knows how to identify undercover cops. Avery pulls them out and tells them he confirmed that Booker is indeed an undercover cop. Murtaugh doesn’t understand how he wasn’t able to identify him, and Riggs asks him if he’s ever been undercover despite Avery’s plea to not ask.

 

Murtaugh details his character he created for an undercover operation, Randy Drexler, which Avery tells Riggs only lasted two weeks. Murtaugh continues to embellish Drexler’s accomplishments, while Avery tells Riggs the reality of the operation. Riggs notices Bowman in the room with Booker, and he tells them that he found the number that Ruthie was calling: a repo man named Teddy (Danny Jacobs).

 

Riggs approaches Teddy as he tows a car and asks him to stay away from Ruthie. Teddy gets frustrated and asks where his mother finds these men. Riggs confirms that Ruthie is Teddy’s mother, and asks what the phone call was about. Teddy explains that Ruthie uses his mailing address and that he called her about a bill for 1800 parking tickets. He asks Riggs how long he’s known Ruthie, and is surprised that he cares so much about her after two to three weeks. Riggs admits he went through the trouble of tracking him because he didn’t want Ruthie to leave.

 

Charlie Blum (Wallace Langham) visits Avery, and asks about Booker. Avery asks about the weapons, and Blum insists that they don’t steal from the LAPD. Blum tells him that there’s no undercover operation, and tells Avery that Booker is a lunatic. He tells Avery that the operation to bring down arms dealer Strickland (Adam Lazarre-White) was only supposed to last six months, but Booker refused to leave the operation after Strickland killed his partner. Blum tells Avery that he has no idea what it’s like to manage a maniac that doesn’t follow directions, and Avery tells him that he has a maniac of his own and they commiserate over the stresses caused by them.

 

Murtaugh unlocks Booker’s cuffs, telling him that there’s no operation. He asks where the guns are, and tells him that is handler is there to bring him in. Murtaugh offers his condolences for his partner, but tells him the only thing he can do is give the location of the weapons. Booker grabs the other officer’s gun and leads Murtaugh to the elevator at gunpoint. Murtaugh tries to talk to Booker as he handcuffs him inside the elevator but Booker refuses to listen.

 

Riggs arrives and asks what’s going on. After Avery explains the situation, Riggs goes into the other elevator and climbs up through the top to the elevator shaft. He crosses to the other elevator, and Murtaugh gestures upwards when he opens the top. Riggs sees Booker climbing up the ladder, and calls out to him. He asks what his plan is, and says he would turn himself in when Booker asks what he would do. Booker doesn’t buy it, and shoots at the elevator’s support before climbing away. Riggs drops into the elevator, shoots the handcuffs off and opens the door with Murtaugh’s help. The two jump into the station as the elevator drops, and Murtaugh asks Riggs not to tell Trish.

 

As Murtaugh eats dinner with Roger, Jr., Riana comes in and hands Murtaugh a bouquet of flowers. She orders him to apologize to Trish, explaining that their fight has gone on too long. Riana accuses Murtaugh of trying to provoke Trish by leaving his motorcycle in the middle of the driveway, but he says that he has to stand his ground. Trish pulls into the driveway, knocking over his motorcycle. Inside, Murtaugh accuses her of hitting it on purpose but she insists it was an accident. Murtaugh insists that it’s a war tactic, and Trish asks him who’s winning.

 

Ruthie goes to the station and confronts Riggs about having her RV towed. He reminds her of the parking tickets, and she realizes that he talked to Teddy. Ruthie tells him that he had no right and accuses him of doing because he’s scared of being alone. She tells him that it’s not her job to save him, and that some people are beyond saving. Murtaugh spots Booker get into a truck during a stakeout and tells Avery.

 

Scorsese hears snoring coming from the morgue and he and Avery open the drawer to see Riggs sleeping inside. Avery tells him that it’s a new low for him and takes several pictures. He tells Riggs about the lead Murtaugh is investigating and he pulls himself out of the drawer. Riana approaches Trish and asks if she ran over the motorcycle on purpose. Trish denies it, but pokes holes in her argument. She admits she did it on purpose, but insists that she is the rational one in this argument. Riana tells her that she and Murtaugh are both responsible, and that they should resolve the conflict before it’s too late.

 

Murtaugh approaches Booker as he opens the truck. As they point guns at each other, Strickland comes out and asks if there’s a problem. Murtaugh pretends to give Booker advice on the weapons and identifies himself as Randy Drexler. Booker corroborates the story, telling Strickland that Drexler is his broker. Strickland lets Drexler stay, but shoots Booker’s arm for bringing and unauthorized person into their operation.

 

Riggs arrives at the scene, and Blum suggests he wait for backup. Riggs has Avery tell Blum that they never wait for backup. Blum and Avery commiserate over their uncontrollable assets as Riggs goes inside. Avery tells Blum that he fantasizes about being hit by a bus, while Blum replies that it’s a train for him. Riggs tells them he can hear them, and Blum tells him that he can’t just knock on the door. Riggs rings the doorbell instead, and tells Knobs (Owen Saxon) that he has a meeting with Strickland. He identifies himself as Randy Drexler, and Knobs replies that Strickland will definitely want to see him.

 

Knobs brings Riggs inside and introduces Drexler to Drexler. Strickland questions what the odds are that they both have the same name, and Murtaugh comments that Riggs doesn’t look like a Randy Drexler. Strickland asks Booker to vouch for Riggs, but Booker replies that he’s never seen him before. Handing a gun to Murtaugh, Strickland asks him to kill Riggs to prove that he’s not a cop. Booker and Murtaugh try to talk their way out of it, as Riggs grabs his pocketknife.

 

Strickland has Knobs point his gun at Murtaugh, and Riggs tells Murtaugh to shoot, as some people are beyond saving. Murtaugh shoots at Riggs, but the gun is empty. Strickland takes the gun and compliments Murtaugh. As Strickland orders Knobs to take Riggs out back, Riggs throws the knife and a shootout begins. After ducking under cover, Riggs yells at Murtaugh for shooting him. Murtaugh replies that he asked him to and that he knew the gun was empty because of its weight. Riggs doesn’t believe him, and both Riggs and Murtaugh run out of bullets. They agree that it was nice working together, as Knobs closes in. Avery and Blum arrive with backup and arrest the criminals.

 

Riggs asks Murtaugh to pick between two guns in order to prove his ability to tell which one is empty. Booker apologizes to Murtaugh for the elevator, and thanks him for saving him. Murtaugh picks a gun, and Riggs announces that he’s going to shoot himself in the foot with it. Avery stops him and Blum comments that Avery’s lunatic is worse. Avery urges Murtaugh to apologize to Trish, but Murtaugh insists he doesn’t need to because he now has the upper hand. Murtaugh pulls out his copy of The Art of War, and Riggs grabs it and tears it.

 

Riggs finds Ruthie waiting for him, and asks why she’s still there. Ruthie apologizes and believes that she assessed him wrong. She suggests that he’s already found his home, and gives him her mahjong set. Ruthie says goodbye and drives away. Murtaugh comes home to find that Trish has made dinner for him. She asks to talk, and he tells her that she’s forgiven for running over the motorcycle. Trish apologizes, and Murtaugh apologizes for not being over it. She asks for a fresh start, and Riana asks about the new car. Murtaugh tells Trish he made an impulse buy, and Trish is not happy. Murtaugh visits Riggs and asks to stay with him as he overplayed his hand. Riggs lets him stay and asks him to play mahjong with him.