Next of Kin

• Main
• YMMV
• Wikipedia
• All Subpages
• Create New

Next of Kin is a 1989 film starring a veritable Who's Who of actors. It stars Liam Neeson, Adam Baldwin, Ben Stiller, Helen Hunt, Andreas Katsulas, Bill Paxton, Ted Levine, and Patrick Swayze.

The story centers around Truman Gates, a Chicago police officer from Kentucky. When his brother Gerald (Bill Paxton) is killed by the Chicago mafia, his brother Briar (Liam Neeson) comes to town seeking revenge. Meanwhile, Adam Baldwin plays Joey Rosselini, an enforcer for the Isabella crime family who finds his position in jeopardy due to the don's son (Ben Stiller) trying to play a more active role in the family business.

Despite the premise, the movie is So Bad It's Good, if only for the sake of Liam Neeson's southern accent (which is remarkably good for an Irishman).

Tropes used in Next of Kin include:

• Alliterative Name: Gerald Gates.
• The Archer: Truman is an adept archer.
• Badass Family: The Gates family.
• Bar Brawl: Truman fights his brother Briar in a bar when he decides to take him in. The bartender tries to call the cops, but the one of the customers stop him and other remarks how the fight is "better than television".
• Bear Trap: One of Joey's buddies is caught in one in the climactic showdown.
• Improbable Weapon User: The bus of snakes used by one of Truman's brothers.
• Not So Different: During an exchange between Joey and Don Isabella, Joey refers to the Gates as stupid poor farmers. Don Isabella responds that that's how other Sicilians thought of his family.
• Old Shame: Truman and his heritage, though it does nothing to stop him from going on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge after Gerald and Briar are killed and his wife is threatened.
  • Also, one has to wonder what Liam Neeson thinks of this movie.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: First Briar, and then Truman.
• Smug Snake: Joey Rosselini.
• Train Escape: Briar resorts to this when Joey and his buddies are chasing him.
• The Windy City
• The X of Y