Richard Gere and Andy Garcia reportedly did not get along during filming. Some of the scenes in which they were required to hit each other, particularly the confrontation in the elevator, were allegedly for real. Garcia subsequently refused to attend the wrap party.
Dennis Peck says to his partner Van Stretch, "How many cops you know are divorced, got nothing, sitting alone in a the dark playing lollipop with a service revolver?". In Brooklyn's Finest (2009), Richard Gere plays an NYPD cop who is doing just that in an opening scene. Sitting alone in a dark apartment, and puts his service revolver in his mouth.
Richard Gere's favorite movie of his own, despite his feud with Andy Garcia. He later worked with Mike Figgis on Mr. Jones (1993).
Considered to be one of the two comeback vehicles Richard Gere made in 1990, the other one being Pretty Woman (1990).
Theatrical and television trailers show several alternate and deleted scenes. Alternate edit of the first scene between Raymond and his IAD boss, deleted dialogue scene where Raymond is told that if he goes after Peck and doesn't get him he's dead in the department and if he does get him "it could be even worse", deleted scene showing Peck calling someone and asking them for information about Raymond, deleted conversation scene between Raymond and Peck who are in some bar drinking and talking about how people want to be bad and how cops want to be bad worst of all while at the same time Peck's hooker/snitch is performing striptease. Alternate parts of the original theatrical ending are also shown; Raymond calling Kathy and telling her to lock the door, Kathy finds Peck in her home holding a gun and he tells her not to say anything, Peck telling her to take his shoe off and Peck shooting Raymond while holding Kathy and Raymond running at him, crashing both of them out the window. Some promotional stills also show these and some other deleted scenes.