L.A. Confidential (1997)

Director: Curtis Hanson
Screenplay: Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland (based on the book by James Ellroy)
Cast: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito
Music: Jerry Goldsmith 
Time: 133 minutes
Bottom-line: Not the greatest cop film, but a stylish entertainer

I recall reading this in an article few months ago: “If Curtis Hanson directed The Departed, it would be called L.A. Confidential.” This crime thriller features an ensemble cast consisting of new actors like Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, and also veterans like Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, competing with James Cameron’s Titanic, the film ended up getting two: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.

1950s, Los Angeles: Sergeant Edmund Exley (Pearce), son of a legendary LAPD detective, is smart, law-abiding and determined to live up to his father’s reputation. Officer Bud White (Crowe) is obsessed with brutally punishing woman-beaters. He is hired by Captain Dudley Smith to beat up criminals trying to fill in the place of Mickey Cohen, the gangster. Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Spacey) is a narcotics detective. He is connected to Sid Hudgens (DeVito), who tips him for leading Sid to celebrity arrests, bringing more readers to his magazine: “Hush-Hush” (which is a reference to the actual 1950s scandal magazine: L.A. Confidential). The three men investigate one case: the Nite Owl killings – a series of six homicides. From then on it is a case of survival, betrayal and typical cop-criminal drama...

Crowe as Officer White, and Basinger as Lynn

To be honest, I did not think the story was so great. It is not a storyline that focuses on one particular track – the first twenty minutes or so introduce the three different cops to the viewers, each with a different background and duty. Then comes the Nite Owl killings that unites the three of them, in a way. Enter Lynn Bracken (Basinger), a Veronica Lake look-alike prostitute, with ties to the case. The story then deals with the separate investigations carried out by White and Exley, and how a series of events affects the rivalry between them. It is pretty much like Martin Scorsese’s The Departed: three cops, one case, and you know that someone in the police department isn’t exactly who he seems to be. The timeline is different, and the characters are better developed here.

Pearce as Lt. Exley

The main thing I loved about L.A. Confidential, was the acting. At a time when Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe had just started acting, Curtis Hanson took a bold decision to include them both, along with veterans like Kevin Spacey and Basinger. This is the film that gave the two of the new actors a lot of fame, thanks to their stellar performances. The “dynamic duo” of Pearce, as the faithful and honest detective, and Crowe, as the violent officer really spice things up in the film. I liked the way their characters had been developed, and the way their rivalry is shown on screen. Kevin Spacey has a comparatively small role to play, as does Danny DeVito, but these two characters provide important links which are responsible for the story to go smoothly. Kim Basinger seemed to put up an okay performance, in my view... and I don’t see why she deserved the Oscar.

Spacey as Sergeant Jack Vincennes

However, the cinematography and dialogues were excellent. The way the violence is shown on screen has a certain style to it, and in fact, every take perfectly captures all the emotions that the director wants the audience to see: be it wrath, envy or sorrow. L. A. Confidential could have been a bit better, in terms of the storyline, but overall, with brilliant acting from Crowe, Pierce and Spacey, the film still provides enough substance to keep you riveted to your seats...

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 99%