L.A. Confidential (1997)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

The Worst Film Ever

Great Film overall

A Masterpiece!

I saw this at the theater the first night t opened and watch it whenever it comes on. Tight script, excellent cast and a great story. Two thumbs up.

This movie suffers from an overly convoluted and unfocused plot (going after one group of criminals then the big cliche crime boss the next. Having multiple antagonists is fine, but the problem was it felt like two different stories that were weakly connected), characters that would like us to believe they are much more complex than the are (the white knight cop, Bud, who turns out to be a hypocrite. Some might take this cotradiction as character complexity, but the flaws of this character are never acknowledged in the form of facing consequences for you actions, bc in the end he gets the girl), and failure to address the theme of police corruption that it presents (Again, Bud is a thug of a cop, a dispicable person who is only ever rewarded by the film. Lieutenant Exley supposedly represents a moral reformer in the LAPD, but in the end he doesn't significantly change anything or really openly challenge the corrupt LAPD besides at the beginning when he testifies against a fellow cop for their violation of practice. He is also an unsavory person whose moral hypocrisy is never acknowledged). This isn't even to mention the cringey ass dialogue that is trying to hard to sound 1950s and the fact that the only black people in this film are criminals and rapists, and that things seemed to be easily achieved by all the "protagonists" with minimal effort put forth.

Well, I wasn't expecting that! I went in thinking it would be an overlong stylised drama with one or two scenes of detective work. Quite the reverse actually, it's entirety was an unsolved case. Three separate officers, each with their own motives, investigate separate aspects to a case which eventually interlink with each other. Let me just whip out the old crime checklist: Shootouts? Check. Detective work? Check. Corruption? Check. A plethora of twists and turns? Most definitely. The latter is what truly separates this from other similar crime stories, there are so many twists that are naturally executed. There isn't one moment where I thought "Oh, that was a coincidence!". All of these characters are fleshed out, each with a contrasting personality, where any decisions that are made just feel right. A serious straight rookie quickly climbing the ranks utilising his intellect. A tempered brute using his physicality to progress with the case. Then you have the suave experienced officer who uses his connections to get answers. Individually they work excellently, but as a unit? Even better. It plays out brilliantly because of Hanson's direction. Refreshingly switching between these officers and showcasing the 1950's L.A. lifestyle, he managed to create an environment that lives and breathes crime. One of the best casts I've seen from a 90's film. Crowe, Spacey, Cromwell and Pearce (arguably my favourite role of his) all brought grit and emotional captivation to their roles. The script is densely compact with development and taut pacing, although occasionally does dip. I did find Strathairn's character underused and didn't add much to the story. However, the focus is on the case, naturally including character development and thrills to make an outstanding crime thriller. I suspect this will eventually gain the perfect rating.

L.A. Confidential is great, an absolute must-watch! The movie contains a superb cast with names such as Russel Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce and the beautiful Kim Basinger. The last one winning an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her role as Lynn Bracken.The story is set in 1950 L.A., and corruption in the police force is on the rise. Three police detectives investigate a number of murders in order to uncover the truth.Each has his signature way of serving justice, but as the story goes on, they each have to face their own convictions. How far are they prepared to go?Bud white (played by Russel Crowe) doesn't always follow the rules by the book and has a though time keeping of controlling his more violent nature.Then there is his counterpart Ed Exley (played by Guy Pearce). An ambitious man who wants to get ahead without breaking the rules. A challenge which he finds becomes harder and harder on his way to the top.Last but not least, we have Jack Vincennes (played by Kevin Spacey). An extravagant figure who is always looking to make an extra buck out of his crime fighting career.Together they must join forces in order to uncover the dark secret within the L.A. police force.