L.A. Confidential
3.5/4
Starring: Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, James Cromwell, David Strathairn
Rated R for Strong Violence, Language and Sexuality
Who doesn't love a good mystery?
"L.A. Confidential" is a throwback to the film noirs of yesteryear. The shocking crime, the femme fatale, the mysterious villains, and the dogged detective (or detectives in this case) who slowly figures everything out. Director Curtis Hanson respects the genre, but he colors outside the lines enough to keep things interesting.
The film tells the story of three cops in the LAPD: the ambitious straight arrow Ed Exley (Pearce), the hotshot veteran Jack Vincennes (Spacey) and the dumb brute Bud White (Crowe). Each of them is devoted to their job, but they have their own way of going about it. Exley is strictly by the book and will obey the rules at all costs. Bud has no problem getting his hands dirty, and often does so. And Vincennes skirts the rules of propriety to fan his ego by enrolling into a symbiotic relationship with a tabloid reporter named Sid Hudgens (DeVito). Soon their paths will cross as they dig deep into a brutal killing.
One of the things that makes "L.A. Confidential" so distinct is that it doesn't hurtle towards the conclusion. It arrives at it. The three leads aren't really a trio. They find their way towards each other on their own. Using this tactic allows the story to have greater depth while limiting the amount of contrivance necessary for it to work. Hanson also takes the time to develop his characters and give them a chance to breathe. There's a lot going on in this movie (too much, actually) and Hanson gives it a chance to breathe.
The film is filled with actors at the top of their game. Guy Pearce is one of those actors who can, and will, do just about anything. Exley is determined to get to the top, but he is incorruptible even when it means getting on the wrong side of everyone else. But he has his reasons and they come from a good place. Russell Crowe makes some unusual choices in his portrayal of the muscle. Bud is simple-minded and hot-headed, but he's smarter and more sensitive than he realizes. Kevin Spacey has the showiest role as a man who cares as much about getting his name in the papers as he does making busts. Perhaps more. It's a role tailor made for Spacey. The supporting cast, which includes Kim Basinger as a call girl made up to look like a movie star, Danny DeVito as a gossip journalist, and David Strathairn as a first class creep, is excellent. Special mention has to go to James Cromwell as the police chief, who gets to show range he rarely gets to display.
"L.A. Confidential" is jam-packed with plot, character and mood. If anything, there's too much of it. Hanson's vision occasionally exceeds his grasp, and I did get confused from time to time (the first time I saw it I was completely lost). The scene where everything is explained is, for once, necessary. Yet this movie is so alluring, so seductive and so absorbing that I didn't want to miss any of it. The film is great to look at; the legendary cinematographer Dante Spinotti lovingly recreates the feel of film noir from the Golden Age of Movies, even though it's in color. And the score by the equally legendary Jerry Goldsmith enhances this effect. This movie feels alive in every frame.
Those who want a white knuckler should watch something else. This is a movie that takes the time to draw you in and let you soak in the atmosphere. You don't watch "L.A. Confidential." You absorb it.
Starring: Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, James Cromwell, David Strathairn
Rated R for Strong Violence, Language and Sexuality
Who doesn't love a good mystery?
"L.A. Confidential" is a throwback to the film noirs of yesteryear. The shocking crime, the femme fatale, the mysterious villains, and the dogged detective (or detectives in this case) who slowly figures everything out. Director Curtis Hanson respects the genre, but he colors outside the lines enough to keep things interesting.
The film tells the story of three cops in the LAPD: the ambitious straight arrow Ed Exley (Pearce), the hotshot veteran Jack Vincennes (Spacey) and the dumb brute Bud White (Crowe). Each of them is devoted to their job, but they have their own way of going about it. Exley is strictly by the book and will obey the rules at all costs. Bud has no problem getting his hands dirty, and often does so. And Vincennes skirts the rules of propriety to fan his ego by enrolling into a symbiotic relationship with a tabloid reporter named Sid Hudgens (DeVito). Soon their paths will cross as they dig deep into a brutal killing.
One of the things that makes "L.A. Confidential" so distinct is that it doesn't hurtle towards the conclusion. It arrives at it. The three leads aren't really a trio. They find their way towards each other on their own. Using this tactic allows the story to have greater depth while limiting the amount of contrivance necessary for it to work. Hanson also takes the time to develop his characters and give them a chance to breathe. There's a lot going on in this movie (too much, actually) and Hanson gives it a chance to breathe.
The film is filled with actors at the top of their game. Guy Pearce is one of those actors who can, and will, do just about anything. Exley is determined to get to the top, but he is incorruptible even when it means getting on the wrong side of everyone else. But he has his reasons and they come from a good place. Russell Crowe makes some unusual choices in his portrayal of the muscle. Bud is simple-minded and hot-headed, but he's smarter and more sensitive than he realizes. Kevin Spacey has the showiest role as a man who cares as much about getting his name in the papers as he does making busts. Perhaps more. It's a role tailor made for Spacey. The supporting cast, which includes Kim Basinger as a call girl made up to look like a movie star, Danny DeVito as a gossip journalist, and David Strathairn as a first class creep, is excellent. Special mention has to go to James Cromwell as the police chief, who gets to show range he rarely gets to display.
"L.A. Confidential" is jam-packed with plot, character and mood. If anything, there's too much of it. Hanson's vision occasionally exceeds his grasp, and I did get confused from time to time (the first time I saw it I was completely lost). The scene where everything is explained is, for once, necessary. Yet this movie is so alluring, so seductive and so absorbing that I didn't want to miss any of it. The film is great to look at; the legendary cinematographer Dante Spinotti lovingly recreates the feel of film noir from the Golden Age of Movies, even though it's in color. And the score by the equally legendary Jerry Goldsmith enhances this effect. This movie feels alive in every frame.
Those who want a white knuckler should watch something else. This is a movie that takes the time to draw you in and let you soak in the atmosphere. You don't watch "L.A. Confidential." You absorb it.
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