The city of Los Angeles is in a tumultuous era for its marquee industry. As film studios gobble each other up, and bureaucratic red tape makes it harder than ever to film in the entertainment capital of the world, it can be easy to forget the vibrancy that the city brings to each production that chooses to call it home. The city itself is essentially the main character of the 1985 classic To Live and Die in L.A.

Richard Chance (William Petersen) and Jimmy Hart (Michael Greene) are Secret Service agents assigned to a counterfeiting case in Los Angeles after foiling a terrorist plot to assassinate President Reagan. Hart, imminently approaching retirement, spends his last few days on the job locating the counterfeiter’s warehouse, run by Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe). Hart is killed after discovering the operation, with Chance vowing to avenge his mentor.

Now working with John Vukovich (John Pankow), Chance vows to take down the counterfeiting ring and avenge his partner, regardless of ethical lines. Vukovich takes umbrage with Chance’s unethical approach to the case, including his relationship with Ruth (Darlane Fluegel), a convict turned informant who’s out on parole. Chance frequently extorts Ruth by threatening to send her back to prison, the first of many laws he tramples over in his pursuit of Masters.

Director William Friedkin was no stranger to the genre by 1985, having previously directed The French Connection, one of the gold standards of American thrillers. To Live and Die in L.A. is a masterclass of dramatic tension. Friedkin never lets up across the 116-minute runtime, an immaculately paced fever dream set against the dreamy backdrop of the city and Wang Chung’s spectacular score.

Friedkin’s triumph comes from an extended car chase, one of the best in film history. To Live and Die in L.A. is a rare case of style mattering more than substance. Petersen does an admirable job in the lead role. Friedkin isn’t very interested in exploring Chance as a person, but Petersen more than sells his determination to avenge his friend.

Chance’s tenuous relationship with Vukovich is a classic tale of Los Angeles, a city full of transplants. Many come to the West Coast with no connections, and little more than a suitcase. LA is the kind of place that rewards those with an open heart and a scrappy, endless drive. Maybe it’s the sunshine, or the abandoned warehouses everywhere, but LA is the kind of city where you can make a new best friend in the course of an afternoon.

LA is also the kind of place where an artist can parlay their talents into a successful counterfeiting operation. Masters is the film’s most interesting character. Dafoe beautifully plays into Rick’s mystique. You can’t always tell if he wants to kill Chance, or sleep with him. Maybe both, another classic tale of the city.

To Live and Die in L.A. is kind of a mess. Friedkin threw character development out of the window, but managed to sustain his narrative for almost two hours on vibes, beautiful people, and Wang Chung. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but with car chases like this, who’s really thinking about anything?