The Mod Squad (film)

Plot

Julie Barnes (Claire Danes), Pete Cochran (Giovanni Ribisi) and Lincoln Hayes (Omar Epps) are three minor delinquents who choose to become undercover cops in place of serving their jail terms. When their superior Capt. Adam Greer (Dennis Farina) is murdered, the trio set out to find the real culprits.

Cast

Claire Danes as Julie Barnes

Giovanni Ribisi as Pete Cochran

Omar Epps as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes

Dennis Farina as Capt. Adam Greer

Josh Brolin as Billy

Steve Harris as Briggs

Michael Lerner as Howard

Richard Jenkins as Bob Mothersed

Larry Brandenburg as Eckford

Lionel Mark Smith as Lanier

Sam McMurray as Tricky

Michael O'Neill as Greene

Stephen Kay as Bald Dude

Bodhi Elfman as Gilbert - Skinny Freak

Holmes Osborne as Mr. Cochrane

Dey Young as Mrs. Cochrane

Eddie Griffin as Sonny

Clarence Williams III as Linc's Grandfather

Peggy Lipton as Julie's aunt

Production

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Melissa Joan Hart and Milla Jovovich were considered for the part of Julie Barnes, but they all passed until Claire Danes eventually got cast. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were offered the chance to direct the film, but turned it down in order to concentrate on making music videos instead; Scott Silver got the job.

Reception

The Mod Squad received negative reviews by critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 3% of critics had given the film positive reviews, based upon a sample of 63. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 16, based on 21 reviews.

The film was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay, but lost out to another television show turned movie Wild Wild West. It was also a box office bomb, grossing only $15.4 million out of its $50 million budget.