Coffy

Pam Grier stars as Coffy. She's a nurse who seeks revenge, on the drug dealers who got her sister hooked on bad heroine. Like any 70s Blaxploitation flick, you can expect to see the racist bad guys get their just desserts. There were scores of these films made during the 70s, and they were really demeaning to both black and white audiences alike. This is mainly due to the vicious racial hostility in these films, and the degrading, stereotypical characters. Especially the female characters. Other common threads between Coffy, and other films of its type, include brutal violence, corrupt cops, car chases, a generous abundance of nudity, and sex-crazed gorgeous women. Not to mention urban ghettos populated by drug-dealers, pimps, mobsters, and other criminal scum. Pam Grier, was the undisputed queen of 70s Blaxploitation heroines. She was magnificent, being both tough-as-nails, and drop-dead gorgeous. Like in her other films, Pam outshines the other characters, in Coffy. In fact, Pam is so charismatic on screen, that these sorts of films are unwatchable, without her as the main character. If you like Pam Grier, you're better off seeing her other films, like Foxy Brown, or perhaps Friday Foster. These films have much less empty sleaze, than Coffy does. Pam's character in Coffy, degrades herself way too much to get the bad guys. Pam's characters in her other Blaxploitation films, don't stoop as low to get revenge, as Coffy did. I'd say, only watch Coffy, if you're unable to see any of Pam Grier's other films. Otherwise, Coffy is a waste of time. Only Pam's talent as an actress, makes viewing Coffy bearable.

Badly acted, directed and scripted, but a guilty pleasure which not only features a powerful heroine but an anti-drug message. The TV series "KC Undercover" twice in different episodes spoofed this film-- and that was a Disney Channel presentation!

The lovely Blaxploitation legend Ms. Pam Grier lights up the screen in this classic of the genre. Written and directed by cult favorite director Jack Hill, it's got sex and violence aplenty, and moves with precision. The actors all do a fine job at bringing Hills' colorful dialogue to life. Viewers will groove to the eclectic score and songs by Roy Ayers, and be amused by those early 1970s fashions. There are some very memorable moments here, and an appreciable sense of humor to boot; this is trash of the highest order. Pam plays the title character, a nurse whose younger sister fell victim to drugs. She's hellbent on punishing the people who put the girl in this situation, starting at the bottom and working her way up the chain. She must deal with a horny henchman (Sid Haig), a twisted Italian mobster (Allan Arbus), a cooler than cool pusher / pimp (Robert DoQui), and various hookers who distrust her presence when she charms her way into the pimps' stable. Coffy is such a resourceful character (the razor blades in the wig is a superb gag), and so passionate, that you can't help but be on her side. Whenever she takes down a bad guy, it's a cheer-worthy moment. Hill establishes the tone early on when Coffy comes on to a pusher (Morris Buchanan) solely for the purpose of blasting his skull to kingdom come. And when she doles out the final punishment in the picture, it simply brings down the house. Pam and her sexy female co-stars dutifully show off their T & A for the sake of a good show. And what a hell of a cast. Pam is ably supported by Booker Bradshaw as her politician boyfriend, Elliott as the well meaning cop Carter, Barry Cahill as the crooked cop McHenry, Lee de Broux, John Perak, and Ray Young as assorted bad guys, Carol Locatell as information providing prostitute Priscilla, and Linda Haynes as the resentful Meg. Bob Minor, Lyman Ward, and Ron Gans have small parts. This is quintessential Pam Grier, and quintessential Blaxploitation. It delivers high style entertainment for an engaging hour and a half. 10 out of 10.

Poorly-made "blaxploitation" crime-drama aimed squarely at the black urban market of the early 1970s. Pam Grier stars in the title role, that of a nurse who becomes a one-woman vigilante after drug-dealing thugs make Coffy's little sister a junkie. Violent nonsense plods along doggedly, with canned energy and excitement; only Grier's flaring temper gives the narrative a jolt (she's not much of an actress here, but she connects with the audience in a primal way). Not much different from what Charles Bronson was doing at this time, the film was marketed and advertised as crass exploitation yet still managed to find a sizable inner-city audience. Today however, it's merely a footnote in '70s film history, and lacks the wide-range appeal of other movies in this genre. *1/2 from ****

Although I found it to be an agreeable enough time-passer, there is nothing about this film that was particularly enjoyable, so I can't really recommend it. The action is brisk and the performances are good, but this film suffers from predictability and there was nothing especially clever in the script. It's basically just Pam Grier kicking butt for ninety minutes, and even though she does it rather well, a few twists and turns would have been nice. This is the kind of film that is reasonably fun to watch, but then quickly fades from memory once the credits are done.

By 1973 AIP had struck paydirt many times over with Black Caesar and its sequel, the two Slaughter films, several black/horror hybrids like Blacula, and of course the jungle prison sleazies, and now their first black superchick flick Coffy went into production. Jack Hill (The Big Doll House, The Big Bird Cage) was at the helm again, along with the tried-and-tested formula of Pam Grier and Sid Haig. Coffy is a nurse by day and avenging angel at night, tracking down the dealers who got her sister hooked on the Big H. She opens the film blowing the head off a dealer with a shotgun, then follows the trail of dead bodies to a bald hood named Omar and her crooked politician boyfriend, who she shoots in the balls. "Revenge is a virtue", the soundtrack blares; critics applauded the liberated ballsy lead character while decrying the level of sex and sadism. As revenge actioners go, Coffy don't come better. Grier in her first lead role is a sensation. Little wonder Tarantino tailor-made a film for her.

I can't think of another movie that so perfectly combines top-notch nudity and gruesome killing. I mean, this is 2019 so you'd think by now I would have seen everything. But Pam Grier is one fine lady by the standards of any era. As if she weren't enough all by herself, the filmmakers get her in a scene where she battles a bunch of other hot hookers who all manage to have their tops ripped off during the fight. And the way she dispatches her enemies, I could hardly believe what they got away with showing on the screen. This movie must have been quintuple X in its day. Why did it take me so many decades to see this awesome movie??! If I ever win the Super Lotto I'm opening up a Drive-In theatre and this will be the permanent feature attraction.

The prequel to Foxy Brown, Coffy is the better of the two and is a pleasant surprise. Thanks to Turner Classic Movies 'Rob Zombie Friday Night' features my husband and I were able to see both Coffy and Foxy Brown. Prior to actually seeing these films one had steered clear of the genre due to all of the terrible contemporary reviews. Now over 30 years later it was a sheer delight to see the beauteous and talented Pamela Grier in a gritty and electrifying portrayal. Coffy is simply a non-stop action thriller with humor juxtaposed to scenes of violence. There is not really any time to catch one's breath Hill's direction is frenetic and impressive. The marvelous Robert DoQui does his usual excellent work as King George, many may remember him in Altman's Nashville (1975)as Wade Cooley. The cast is wonderful, the acting is over the top and yet it all works together. The injustices of that era are now, sadly, all too easily recognizable and Hill's script is too spot on to be considered campy. The magic of Coffy is, however, Pamela Grier. This woman is simply a joy to behold. There is abundant nudity in Coffy and it is very apropos. Foxy Brown is a decidedly 2nd rate film by comparison. But it today!

What this movie lacked in quality it tried to make up for it in boob shots. Shameless, unreasonable boob shots. Was Pam Grier in a movie where she didn't show off her breasts? Oh yeah, Jackie Brown when she was like 50 years old. The 70's was a terrible decade and Blaxploitation films are right up there as a reason why. Good grief! this movie was bad. The acting, the plot, the music... bad. And not like Michael Jackson or LL Cool J bad. Like killing baby seals bad. Like dating your sister bad. I'm done with Pam Grier movies.

What a great film! After seeing "Friday Foster" last week which was a quite disappointment Pam found back to old qualities with this movie! The nerve-straining and tame political correctness of "Friday Foster" is fortunately totally missing, because "Coffy" follows straight up to some unwritten genre laws: the white are the bad guys, black ones the good - that´s how the rules of blaxploitation normally function! The story is simple: nurse Coffy takes revenge for her little sister, who was maltreated by the drug syndicate. Sometimes the film reminded me on Michael Winner´s "Death Wish", however Charles Bronson is a little milk boy in comparison to the tough and sexy Coffy: Pam shows her breasts every five minutes and when she doesn´t she kills a dozens of people instead. The scene when she blows away the head of an evil pimp is next to William Lustig´s "Maniac" the greatest headshot ever featured in a film! Loved also the hilarious girl brawl at the buffet! A great fun flick!!