The Sweeper is a 1996 American action film produced and directed by Joseph Merhi, starring C. Thomas Howell, Ed Lauter, Kristen Dalton, Janet Gunn and Jeff Fahey.
Howell plays a cop haunted by the early loss of his father (Fahey), whose unhinged behavior makes him a prime recruit for the vigilante unit assembled by a hardline LAPD veteran (Lauter).
Molls introduces Goddard to Justice Incorporated, a secret police fellowship which uses extrajudicial methods to fight crime, and sees him as a potential candidate.
Mark joins the group, enticed by the prospect of getting his revenge on the criminal underworld that destroyed his family, and by the charms of Molls' right-hand woman and top executioner, Rachel Gill.
He took the job as a favor to producer/director Joe Merhi, to whom he had been introduced by his agent, and with whom he was then in talks to produce an ensemble dramatic comedy written by his friend Robert Downey Sr. (which was eventually made without Fahey or Merhi's involvement as Hugo Pool)[1] According to cinematographer and PM Entertainment regular Ken Blackey, the film marked yet another step up for the company, which aimed to stay current with the new intensity brought to Hollywood by directors such as John Woo.
"[5] Entertainment Weekly was moderately positive, writing that although C. Thomas Howell "shrug[ged] through his role", the film boasted "a series of explosions-and-flying-bodies set pieces that are refreshingly old-fashioned given Hollywood’s current love affair with computer F/X.