Pam Grier's first "blaxploitation" film is far from her best, but it does show you why she became the "queen" of that genre--there simply just wasn't anyone else like her. Her acting wasn't all that bad--it's much better than most of the other women in the picture and a lot of the men, to be honest--and she had the revenge-minded, ass-kickin' mama persona down pat. What really makes her stand out, however, is her sexuality--she is absolutely explosive. Her frequent nudity is one of the film's saving graces, but it's not really gratuitous (not that there's anything wrong with that, either)--as another poster pointed out, her nude scenes seemed to be done on her own terms and not because the producer or director said, "OK, baby, show us what you got". The scene where she's lounging by the pool in a bikini and first meets "superpimp" King George is astounding--how actor Robert DoQui restrained himself from leaping on her as soon as he saw her is a feat of self-discipline that's almost superhuman. The party scene later on, where Pam comes in dressed up as a streetwalker (and raises the temperature of the room 20 degrees) then shortly afterward gets in a knock-down, drag-out fight with several of King George's jealous girls, is another of the film's highlights.
The picture does have its downsides, mainly in the performances (yeah, like you watch these kinds of films for the acting . . . ). Robert DoQui, although a very good actor generally, just isn't convincing as King George (his "superpimp" outfit is hilarious, though). William Elliot, as apparently the only honest cop in the L.A.P.D. and Coffy's friend who wants to be more than that, is bland and doesn't make any kind of an impression. Booker Bradshaw as Coffy's politician lover who, although she doesn't know it, is partners with the city's biggest pimp/drug dealer gives probably the worst performance in the movie. He plays his part with little conviction and you get the impression that he thinks this kind of picture is beneath him. He loosens up a bit towards the end, but by then it's too little too late.
On the other hand, the action scenes are well done, and of course there's the great Sid Haig as a mob killer who gets a little "poetic justice" in the end. This is Pam Grier's picture, though, and she more than makes up for whatever shortcomings it has. Several of her subsequent films in this genre are much better than this one, but this will serve as a good introduction to "the Pam Grier experience". It's the picture that made her a star, and it's easy to see why. It may be a bit choppy and somewhat primitive but it's a lot of fun, and Pam Grier is stupendous. Check it out.
The picture does have its downsides, mainly in the performances (yeah, like you watch these kinds of films for the acting . . . ). Robert DoQui, although a very good actor generally, just isn't convincing as King George (his "superpimp" outfit is hilarious, though). William Elliot, as apparently the only honest cop in the L.A.P.D. and Coffy's friend who wants to be more than that, is bland and doesn't make any kind of an impression. Booker Bradshaw as Coffy's politician lover who, although she doesn't know it, is partners with the city's biggest pimp/drug dealer gives probably the worst performance in the movie. He plays his part with little conviction and you get the impression that he thinks this kind of picture is beneath him. He loosens up a bit towards the end, but by then it's too little too late.
On the other hand, the action scenes are well done, and of course there's the great Sid Haig as a mob killer who gets a little "poetic justice" in the end. This is Pam Grier's picture, though, and she more than makes up for whatever shortcomings it has. Several of her subsequent films in this genre are much better than this one, but this will serve as a good introduction to "the Pam Grier experience". It's the picture that made her a star, and it's easy to see why. It may be a bit choppy and somewhat primitive but it's a lot of fun, and Pam Grier is stupendous. Check it out.