L.A. Confidential (A or 3.5/4 stars)
3 detectives in the brutal & corrupt L.A. police force of the 1950's use different methods to uncover a conspiracy behind some shotgun murders in 'L.A. Confidential', an intricate film-noir based on a dense James Ellroy novel & directed by Curtis Hanson. 1953: L.A. has never seen so much sleaze, corruption & violence. Cops are turning their backs to crime. The imprisonment of a mob boss leaves said mob without a leader; this, of course, leads to all-out street warfare. And the bodies are piling up. Meanwhile, one fateful night, 6 victims (including an ex-cop) are gunned down at the Night Owl Cafe, an all-night diner. The cops commence their investigations, but it soon becomes clear that these killings have more to them than meets the eye.
The 1st cop on the job is Bud White (Russell Crowe), a 'muscle' guy who's m.o. is that quick violence solves everything; and that breaking the rules to obtain results is just fine (there's a distinct reason for his form of punishment). The 2nd is Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), the kind of cop who wants to hog the spotlight & make a quick buck more than actually solving cases expediently. Furthermore, he's also the technical advisor to a hit TV show; sharing a secret agreement with the editor of 'Hush Hush' magazine (Danny DeVito), a tabloid that publishes stories/photos showing Jack no nobly arresting up-to-no-good celebrities caught in the act. And our 3rd man of the law is Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), son of a murdered hero cop, & the golden boy of the police force.
Ed seeks justice by-the-book; believing he can rise to the cream of the cop crop without resorting to Bud's vulgar methods. The tactics used by each of these 3 men couldn't be more different. But as this 6-victim case delves deeper & deeper into a mystery involving the dark world of the LAPD, it becomes apparent that their own pursuit for the truth & their own survival depends on solving this case together. Can it be solved? Can Bud keep his raging violence under control? Will they escape corruption & murder? And will their morals hold up through it all?
This film is just immensely satisfying. Everything from crooked cops, to the mob, to the murders, to the mystery, to the allure of 1950's L.A., to the birth of television & paparazzi, to the double-crossings, to the secret alliances, to the film-noir feel ... it's all TOP-notch. 'L.A. Confidential' has a way of seducing us as we watch. It's not a cheery film; fairly evil & cynical, actually. But there's pleasure to be found in the performances, the writing & the unpredictability of it all. It isn't always thrilling, but when it hits, it hits hard. Thanks to Brian Helgeland's astute writing, we watch a film that's dense with narrative twists, memorable characters & insight into that turbulent era of America. There are several subplots, but they are (in most cases) equally as engaging as the main threads. My favorite performance is from Australian Russell Crowe. I just loved watching his controlled-anger. You know he wants to bust out, but he contains it the best he can.
Kevin Spacey is great as the confident, cocky Jack. And Guy Pearce gives the subtlest performance; a man who has high aspirations as a cop, but knows he should do the right thing (which doesn't always correlate with the LAPD). Solid supporting work is put in by James Cromwell & David Strathairn. And not only is Kim Basinger a classic beauty here, but she's icily wonderful as Bud & Ed's torn woman; a true femme fatale. The cinematography is great - emphasizing blacks, whites & shadows. The period detail is superb. The mood of the film is thick in portent. 'L.A. Confidential' is pretty long at 140 minutes -- pay attention throughout or you may miss something pivotal. And crime dramas aren't my favorite film genre. All that said, this particular film tells an intricate, powerful, well-delivered tale of conflicted people who struggle to rise above their inherent flaws. Great, great movie.
The 1st cop on the job is Bud White (Russell Crowe), a 'muscle' guy who's m.o. is that quick violence solves everything; and that breaking the rules to obtain results is just fine (there's a distinct reason for his form of punishment). The 2nd is Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), the kind of cop who wants to hog the spotlight & make a quick buck more than actually solving cases expediently. Furthermore, he's also the technical advisor to a hit TV show; sharing a secret agreement with the editor of 'Hush Hush' magazine (Danny DeVito), a tabloid that publishes stories/photos showing Jack no nobly arresting up-to-no-good celebrities caught in the act. And our 3rd man of the law is Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), son of a murdered hero cop, & the golden boy of the police force.
Ed seeks justice by-the-book; believing he can rise to the cream of the cop crop without resorting to Bud's vulgar methods. The tactics used by each of these 3 men couldn't be more different. But as this 6-victim case delves deeper & deeper into a mystery involving the dark world of the LAPD, it becomes apparent that their own pursuit for the truth & their own survival depends on solving this case together. Can it be solved? Can Bud keep his raging violence under control? Will they escape corruption & murder? And will their morals hold up through it all?
This film is just immensely satisfying. Everything from crooked cops, to the mob, to the murders, to the mystery, to the allure of 1950's L.A., to the birth of television & paparazzi, to the double-crossings, to the secret alliances, to the film-noir feel ... it's all TOP-notch. 'L.A. Confidential' has a way of seducing us as we watch. It's not a cheery film; fairly evil & cynical, actually. But there's pleasure to be found in the performances, the writing & the unpredictability of it all. It isn't always thrilling, but when it hits, it hits hard. Thanks to Brian Helgeland's astute writing, we watch a film that's dense with narrative twists, memorable characters & insight into that turbulent era of America. There are several subplots, but they are (in most cases) equally as engaging as the main threads. My favorite performance is from Australian Russell Crowe. I just loved watching his controlled-anger. You know he wants to bust out, but he contains it the best he can.
Kevin Spacey is great as the confident, cocky Jack. And Guy Pearce gives the subtlest performance; a man who has high aspirations as a cop, but knows he should do the right thing (which doesn't always correlate with the LAPD). Solid supporting work is put in by James Cromwell & David Strathairn. And not only is Kim Basinger a classic beauty here, but she's icily wonderful as Bud & Ed's torn woman; a true femme fatale. The cinematography is great - emphasizing blacks, whites & shadows. The period detail is superb. The mood of the film is thick in portent. 'L.A. Confidential' is pretty long at 140 minutes -- pay attention throughout or you may miss something pivotal. And crime dramas aren't my favorite film genre. All that said, this particular film tells an intricate, powerful, well-delivered tale of conflicted people who struggle to rise above their inherent flaws. Great, great movie.