Fighting Back

A Philadelphia deli owner establishes a neighborhood vigilante group to combat street crime and gang activity in his community. The movement begins after personal tragedies involve his pregnant wife and mother, leading him to organize a militia that uses military-style training to reclaim the streets. As the group gains momentum, they face opposition and tension from local politicians, the police, and organized crime figures, while internally struggling with racial dynamics and the risks of their actions.

Directed by Lewis Teague, the film was released in 1982 as his third feature project, following The Lady in Red and Alligator. The cast is led by Tom Skerritt as John D'Angelo, appearing alongside Patti LuPone, Michael Sarrazin, Yaphet Kotto, David Rasche, and Jim Lovelett. Produced by Paramount, Permut Presentations, and the Dino De Laurentiis Company, the production had a budget of 9 million USD.

The film did not perform well commercially, earning 3 million USD at the worldwide box office. Audience reception is mixed, with a rating of 6/10 on IMDb based on 1,000 votes and a score of 5.8/10 on TMDB from 22 votes.