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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. 



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