Shane Black writes scripts that bleed cool. It’s a fact. But back in 1996, his four-million-dollar screenplay for The Long Kiss Goodnight didn't just land on a desk; it exploded into one of the most underrated action flicks of the decade. People talk about Lethal Weapon or The Nice Guys, yet for some reason, this amnesiac-assassin-mom story feels like a fever dream we all shared and then collectively forgot. It shouldn't be that way. The cast of Long Kiss Goodnight is a bizarre, lightning-in-a-bottle assembly of talent that actually makes the high-octane absurdity work.
You’ve got Geena Davis playing Samantha Caine—a suburban schoolteacher who can suddenly dice a carrot like a hibachi chef and snap a neck without blinking. Then you have Samuel L. Jackson as Mitch Henessey. This was post-Pulp Fiction Sam Jackson, but before he became the "official" coolest man in Hollywood. He’s playing a low-rent private eye in a cheap suit, and the chemistry between the two is basically the soul of the film.
It’s messy. It’s loud. Honestly, it’s kind of a masterpiece of 90s excess.
The Dual Identity of Geena Davis as Charly Baltimore
Most people remember Geena Davis from Thelma & Louise or A League of Their Own. They don’t usually think of her as a cold-blooded CIA operative who can shoot a sniper rifle while sliding across ice. But in 1996, she was married to the film's director, Renny Harlin, and they were coming off the massive financial disaster of Cutthroat Island. They had something to prove.
Davis undergoes a physical transformation here that’s actually pretty startling. For the first half of the film, she’s Samantha: a soft-spoken, amnesiac mother with "mom hair" and a gentle disposition. When her memories start leaking back, she bleaches her hair, drops her vocal register, and becomes Charly Baltimore.
It isn't just a costume change. Davis plays Charly with a cynical, jagged edge that makes you genuinely believe she’s forgotten how to love her own kid. That’s a risky move for a protagonist. Most action stars want to be likable 100% of the time. Charly isn't likable. She’s effective. Watching her realize she has "muscle memory" for violence is the film's best trick. You see it in the kitchen scene—the way she handles a knife. It’s subtle, then it’s terrifying.
Samuel L. Jackson: The Guy Who Wasn't Supposed to Survive
If you look at the original script, Mitch Henessey—played by Samuel L. Jackson—wasn't necessarily the co-lead he became. But Jackson brings this weary, comedic energy that balances out the grimness of the conspiracy plot. He’s the audience surrogate. When Charly does something superhuman, Mitch is the one saying, "What the hell was that?"
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Mitch is a "bottom-feeder" detective. He’s not a hero. He’s wearing a purple suit and trying to make a buck. This role sits in that sweet spot of Jackson’s career where he wasn't just playing "Samuel L. Jackson" yet. He was still building a character from the ground up. The banter between him and Davis is top-tier Shane Black dialogue—fast, rhythmic, and peppered with insults that feel like endearments.
"You're gonna die, Brian."
"I know. But I'm gonna die doing what I love. Killing you."
That kind of writing needs actors with perfect timing. Jackson and Davis have it. They don't fall into the trap of a forced romance, either. They’re just two people stuck in a freezing car trying not to get blown up by the CIA. It’s refreshing, honestly.
Brian Cox and the Villains Who Actually Felt Dangerous
A hero is only as good as the person trying to kill them. The cast of Long Kiss Goodnight features some heavy hitters on the antagonistic side.
First, you’ve got Brian Cox as Nathan Waldman. Before he was Logan Roy in Succession, Cox was the go-to guy for "shady intelligence officer who knows where the bodies are buried." He brings a gravitas to the movie that grounds the more ridiculous stunts. He’s the one who explains the "Operation Honeymoon" plot—a false flag terrorist attack designed to secure more funding for the agency. It’s a plot point that feels weirdly prophetic and cynical for a mid-90s popcorn flick.
Then there’s Craig Bierko as Timothy.
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Bierko plays the lead henchman/villain with a smarmy, psychopathic glee. He’s the perfect foil for Charly Baltimore because he represents her past life—the life she walked away from. He’s handsome, well-dressed, and utterly devoid of a soul. The scene where he’s torturing Charly in the water tank is legitimately hard to watch, even by today’s standards. He doesn't play it like a cartoon; he plays it like a guy who’s just really, really good at his job.
The Supporting Players You Forgot Were There
The rest of the ensemble is a "who's who" of "oh, that guy!" actors:
- David Morse: He plays Luke, a character who seems like a friend but turns out to be... well, something else. Morse is great at playing characters who are deceptively calm.
- Tom Amandes: He’s Hal, the husband. He’s the emotional anchor for Samantha Caine. His job is basically to look worried and be the "damsel in distress" for a change, which flips the usual gender dynamics of the era.
- Yvonne Zima: As the daughter, Caitlin. Usually, kids in action movies are annoying. She’s actually pivotal here because she’s the bridge between the two versions of Geena Davis.
Why the Chemistry Worked (And Why It Failed at the Box Office)
The movie cost about $65 million to make, which was a huge sum in '96. It only made back about $33 million domestically. Why?
Marketing was a mess. New Line Cinema didn't know how to sell a female-led action movie that wasn't a "vamp" role. They tried to market it as a standard thriller, but the movie is actually a dark comedy/action hybrid. The audience didn't know what to expect.
But the chemistry? That survived. The cast of Long Kiss Goodnight didn't phone it in. Renny Harlin’s direction is maximalist—lots of explosions, lots of practical effects. But he lets the actors talk. He gives Jackson the space to be funny and Davis the space to be scary.
There's a specific rhythm to a Shane Black script. If the actors don't hit the beats, the whole thing falls flat. Think of it like jazz. If you're a millisecond off, the joke dies. This cast understood the tempo. They treated the ridiculous premise—a woman recovering her memory of being an assassin after hitting her head in a car accident—with just enough sincerity to make it work.
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Practical Insights: Why You Should Revisit This Film
If you’re a fan of the John Wick series or the Bourne movies, you owe it to yourself to go back and watch what the cast of Long Kiss Goodnight pulled off. It’s the DNA of the modern action movie.
- Watch for the subversion of tropes: This was one of the first big-budget movies to put a mother in the "unstoppable killing machine" role without making it her only personality trait.
- Study the dialogue: Shane Black’s scripts are a masterclass in "character through conflict." Every line of dialogue tells you something about Mitch or Charly’s worldview.
- Appreciate the practical stunts: There’s a scene where they jump out of a building into a frozen lake. They actually did that (or a version of it). No CGI soup here.
How to Experience The Long Kiss Goodnight Today
Tracking down the film is relatively easy. It’s frequently on streaming services like Max or available for rent on Amazon. But if you really want the full experience, look for the Blu-ray. The behind-the-scenes features show just how much Geena Davis committed to the role—she did many of her own stunts, including the freezing water sequences.
The film's legacy has grown over the years. It’s become a cult classic because it doesn't feel like it was made by a committee. It feels like a group of very talented people—Davis, Jackson, Cox, and Harlin—decided to make the loudest, smartest, and meanest action movie they could.
To get the most out of your rewatch, pay attention to the transition between Samantha and Charly. It happens during a scene in a hotel bathroom where she cuts and dyes her hair. It’s a trope, sure. But Davis makes it feel like a haunting. She isn't "finding" herself; she's letting a monster back in.
Next time you’re scrolling through a generic list of action movies, skip the latest CGI-heavy blockbuster. Go back to 1996. Check out the cast of Long Kiss Goodnight. It’s a reminder that before movies were "content," they were just really cool stories about people with big guns and even bigger personalities.
Grab some popcorn. Turn the volume up. You won't regret it.
The best way to appreciate the film's craft is to watch it back-to-back with Lethal Weapon. You’ll see the evolution of the "buddy cop" dynamic, except this time, one of the buddies is a mom who can kill you with a tea towel. That's the magic of this cast. They took a wild premise and made it legendary.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Locate a high-definition copy: Seek out the 1080p remaster to appreciate the cinematography by Guillermo Navarro, who later won an Oscar for Pan's Labyrinth.
- Listen for the "Shane Black-isms": Try to spot the recurring themes Black uses—Christmas settings, mismatched partners, and cynical children.
- Compare the performances: Watch Geena Davis in this and then in The Fly to see the incredible range she had during the peak of her career.