Rating of
3/4
Keeps One's Attention
Franz Patrick - wrote on 11/30/08
This is a rich film that thrives on mood, character development, and storytelling. I feel like everyone is in this picture: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, David Strathairn, Danny DeVito, Ron Rifkin, Simon Baker… and the list goes on. There’s definitely a hint of noir from the 1940’s and 1950’s that made me enjoy it that much more because I am fan of those kinds of films. Unlike most movies that use that time period, this one is so natural, that sometimes I forget that it is a period piece. Instead, I focused more on the story rather than the time period because I was curious about the real identity of the person who the cops are after. Just when you think you know who the target is, you are given a piece of information that will support that he or she is not the killer. Either that or the person you suspect is murdered in some way. So, the audiences are left to keep guessing until the last few scenes of the film. I also liked that each of the main character has some sort of a motivation that made him want to be a cop. It explains why he is the way he is and we feel like we know them a bit better. Finally, I admired how the filmmakers presented the elusive nature of the word “justice.” That word is thrown around in the film from time to time and it’s funny because even though the protagonists are good guys (are they?), they are arguably amoral in some way. We are not completely attached to them because they, too, are possible suspects. The situations that the characters are put in feel realistic and the actors are nothing short of electric. The killing spree in the end alone makes this movie worth watching.
