The tagline of this movie couldn’t be further from its outcome as this brilliant film went on to make over $125 million, won two Oscars, and launched the careers of Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce. Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, and Danny DeVito complete the all-star cast picked out by director Curtis Hanson.
Set in 1950s Los Angeles, L.A. Confidential follows the lives of three detectives, and their interconnection through a huge homicide case. Although the story is complex, the acting makes this movie worth seeing. The three main characters, Detective Jack Vincennes (Spacey), Lieutenant Ed Exley (Pearce), and Officer Bud White (Crowe), are all involved in solving the Nite Owl massacre, where several people were killed in the Nite Owl coffee shop, including White’s former partner.
Jack Vincennes is all about the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. By making celebrity arrests, his role as the technical advisor of Badge of Honor (a popular crime-drama show), and his connection to Sid Hudgeons (DeVito) of Hush-Hush magazine, he is pretty much a celebrity in his own right.
Ed Exley is a brilliant officer who plays by the rules. Through his hard work, he becomes lieutenant at the young age of 30, much to the dismay of his co-workers, most of whom are older. Exley is one of the few cops who isn’t corrupt on the force, and is labeled a “snitch” for not keeping his mouth shut.
Bud White, probably my favourite character in the movie, is a badass cop who uses violent tendencies to get the job done. At one point, White even gives another guy a swirly to get information out of him! After that fails, he proceeds to hang the man out of a window in the tall building. Brilliant work. But don’t let his rough appearance fool you. White has a soft side too. In fact his real name is Wendell! He also insists on beating the shit out of any women-beaters he encounters, and as a result, Lynn Bracken (Basinger), a “gorgeous slut” as described by Hudgeons, falls for him. Unfortunately for White, Hudgeons turns out to be right as we find out that Bracken is a prostitute for "Fleur-De-Lis", a call-girl service that employs movie star look-alikes. In case that didn’t piss off White enough, she sleeps with Exley shortly after. Apparently these cops just can’t get enough of the hookers, which I find ironic. In their defense, Basinger is a total smoke-show in this movie. It’s too bad whenever I hear her name I can only think of 8 Mile. Thanks Eminem.
This movie shows the “other side” of L.A. which we don’t hear about too often. Themes such as corruption, sleaze, violence, racism, and sexism are portrayed brilliantly in this film. On top of that, the dialogue, acting, and action are superb.
Here’s a taste of some of the clever and often humorous dialogue which went on to win the Oscar for Best Screenplay:
Sid Hudgens: 'It's Christmas Eve in the City of Angels and while decent citizens sleep the sleep of the righteous, hopheads prowl for marijuana, not knowing that a man is coming to stop them! Celebrity crimestopper Jack Vincennes, scourge of grasshoppers and dopefiends everywhere!' Ya like it, Jackie boy?
[After White finds a city councilman sleeping with Bracken]
Bud White: [flashes his badge] LAPD, shitbird. Get the fuck outta here or I'll call your wife to come get you!
Captain Dudley Smith: Go back to Jersey, sonny. This is the City of the Angels, and you haven't got any wings.
For those of you who have not seen this film yet, I won’t ruin the ending for you, but like any great crime-drama, there is a twist. The final showdown is pretty awesome too. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Russell Crowe use a shotgun. And I thought he was badass in Gladiator! Guy Pearce isn’t too bad with a gun either as he blasts away goon after goon. Oh those Aussies!
All in all L.A. Confidential is a great movie that I would strongly recommend for fans of action, drama, or suspense to see.
Read about this movie on IMDb or check out the trailer.
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