Lethal Weapon

Sgt. Murtaugh (Glover) turns 50 on the beginning of the movie, only to be placed with a unbalanced widowed cop named Sgt. Riggs (Gibson). The movie is not merely “good cop/bad cop”, but it suggests that people are able to get past their differences and are able to work together as a team. Fighting crime is the basis of this movie, and, once again, a “by the book” Murtaugh is paired with a crazy, unstable, unconventional Riggs, who is risking his life in most occasions because of the grief from his lost wife. As Danny mentions, Riggs is consumed by guilt and trys to drink away his feelings and even goes to extraordinary lengths, and risks, to complete his part of being an officer. He is exactly what King describes as an example of white male guilt; someone who is selfish, and willing to risk others for themselves.

Where as Riggs is a single, lonely man, Murtaugh is the near opposite. He is a married man with a wife and children, a house, and even a boat. He is looking forward to retirement, and believes that Riggs is not as crazy as he makes out to be—though he is. Murtaugh is able to balance his life at home and his life at work, something that Riggs has immense difficulty doing.

Eventually, though the length of the movie, the characters begin to understand each other better, and is consummated when both Riggs and Murtaugh kill Mr. Joshua. Both care enough about the other to kill Joshua when either is threatened with the possibility of death.