According to Jack Black, the movie performed poorly because "skidmarks" is slang for feces-stained underwear, and therefore people read it as "Johnny Shitstains".
In the early 90s writer/director John Raffo had an idea for a story about a photographer who works for the cops and as a part of a blackmail ring simultaneously, but he couldn't figure out how to write it. He told the story to William Preston Robertson, who liked it enough to come to Raffo's house and camp out. They wrote the script in 21 days.
The script took five years to find financing.
The movie's screenwriter, William Preston Robertson, has a small role as Earl, the man in the bar of who Skolnik and Warshawski make fun.