Curtis Hanson month: L.A. Confidential

A retrospective by Brooks Rich

In 1953 Los Angeles the biggest criminal in town is arrested for tax evasion, creating a power vacuum in the city. Up and coming gangster trying to gain power are murdered and the police are trying to take a stranglehold over the city. Three very different cops begin to suspect a conspiracy in the works after a brutal massacre at the Nite Owl Diner. Something is too easy about the resolution and there are too many loose ends. It all comes together into a Neo-noir stew that both works and doesn't.

The number one strength of this film is the cast. Holy shit this thing is stacked. Kevin Spacey (before he was a creep), Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, in the role she won the Oscar for, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, and Danny DeVito. Everyone does a great job but the heavyweights are Crowe, Spacey, and Cromwell. Ignoring his future issues Spacey is a force in this, playing a cop who has gone Hollywood after becoming the advisor on a procedural cop show. His character arc is my favorite thing about this movie, culminating in the movie's best moment.

Something has always felt off to me about this film. Nothing is wrong with it. It's well acted, well written, and well directed. I get the film noir feel Hanson is going for but unfortunately it's But there's something lacking. In the end the film doesn't add up to the sum of its parts. The third act feels rushed to me. A reveal happens and it's almost as if the film says, "Oh shit, let's hurry up and end." It's already well over two hours. Take some time to build off the moment. Don't rush. Nothing that happens if bad or feels unfair to the story. But it's too quick of a solution.

I get that people like this. If you like this movie, I am glad. I wish I could as well. This film has a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. So hey more power to it. Just for me personally it doesn't hit me. I ultimately end up feeling disconnected.

Comments

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

A retrospective by Brooks Rich Let's kick off the spooky season with a bona fide classic. I love the horror genre, but not much really scares or creeps me out. Most horror films I just watch and enjoy. However, 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is one of those that really gets under my skin, and not just because the Sawyer family are eating people. The way Tobe Hooper shoots the film gives it an almost documentary feel. If you have never seen 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre,' you should probably fix that immediately. Do I need to explain what it's about? A group of '70s kids is driving across Texas in a van and runs afoul of the Sawyer family, including the man himself, Leatherface. It's a classic of the horror genre and one of the pioneers of the '70s and '80s horror boom. The film has a reputation for being sickeningly bloody and violent, but that is not true. It's essentially a bloodless film, which makes it even more horrifying. Most of the violence...

Forgotten Film Friday: Absolute Power

Clint Eastwood stars as Luther Whitney, a jewel thief who works in the Washington DC area. One night while he is stealing from a mansion he is forced to hide in a secret compartment with a two way mirror. From there he observes a sexual rezendevous with the wife of a powerful man and the President of the United States Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman) Suddenly the president gets aggressive and while defending herself the woman is shot to death by two Secret Service agents. Luther manages to get away with a letter opener the woman stabbed the president with. At first Luther plans to flee the country. But when he is disgusted by a statement the president makes, Luther decides to expose the crime. I miss these kind of films. The nineties was a great time for thrillers exactly like this. They are not the flashiest films but they are also not obsessed with big action scenes. It's all plot and character with them. Sure this plot might be a little out there but Eastwood makes it work. He's...

John Candy month: Summer Rental

A retrospective by Brooks Rich Air traffic controller Jack Chester (John Candy) is given paid time off when he nearly causes two airline disasters. He takes his family down to Florida for a vacation. Hijinks ensue because its '80s comedy and Candy ends up challenging a pompous Richard Crenna to a yacht race to close out the summer. This is a movie that has been forgotten to time in the grand scheme of Candy's career. Even with Carl Reiner directing it does have the same name recognition as some of Candy's other works. But I think it's a solid entry in his filmography. He plays a great everyman who we have no problem rooting for. The slobs versus snobs relationship he has with Crenna works like a charm and he genuinely seems like a good father and husband. Candy was always great at playing both the everyman and the aloof goofball. Sometimes he'll even play both. His character of Jack Chester in this is a good example of that. At times Jack is the goofy comic relief...

Cinema Basement

Search This Blog