Frenetic, grimy and intense - "Night of the Juggler" is an insane movie that plunges you deep into the fears, prejudices and dysfunction of NYC's lowest point.
If you're old enough to remember the New York portrayed in this film, it's like experiencing some horrid form of nostalgia. The blown out destroyed Bronx, Central Park as a morass of danger, a police department and populace completely atomized and traumatized.
If you want a good example of how far we've shifted in our social mores - consider how the film's kidnapping victim is treated or thought of throughout the film. And while there's a nod to "High and Low" in both the plot and the film, there's simply a lack of urgency around this crime that feels shocking in an age of AirTags and helicopter parenting.
But you also see the seeds of the city's rebirth. James Brolin is not only chasing after his daughter, he is pushing through and being opposed by an entire city's worth of dysfunction.
I'm not sure how this film sat on the shelves for so many years given its star power, incredible car chases and performances and portrayal of an NYC at the abyss - but I'm glad Transmission rescued it.