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L.A. Confidential
1997
Director Curtis Hanson captures the duality of 1950s Los Angeles in this striking film noir adaptation of James Ellroy's novel. The City of Angels might be sunny, inviting, and glamorous to the rest of the world, but it's also filled with corrupt cops, elegant hookers, murder cover-ups, and manipulative paparazzi, all of which .. Read more
| Starring | Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger, Danny De Vito |
|---|---|
| Director | Curtis Hanson |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
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L.A. Confidential
Director Curtis Hanson captures the duality of 1950s Los Angeles in this striking film noir adaptation of James Ellroy's novel. The City of Angels might be sunny, inviting, and glamorous to the rest of the world, but it's also filled with corrupt cops, elegant hookers, murder cover-ups, and manipulative paparazzi, all of which are just the tip of the iceberg. It's impossible to know exactly who's trustworthy and who's not as three detectives (Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce) each use their own tactics to investigate a coffee-shop massacre.
Hanson and Brian Helgeland's script maintains the fragile framework of human relationships developed in the novel. The 45 locations used in shooting maintain the solid tone and integrity of the film, immersing the viewer in 1950s Los Angeles. The entire cast is first-rate, with compelling performances from Spacey, Crowe, Pearce, James Cromwell, Danny DeVito, Kim Basinger, and David Strathairn.
| Starring | Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger, Danny De Vito, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Guy Pearce |
|---|---|
| Director | Curtis Hanson |
| Studio | WARNER HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 12 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 12 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | 100 Cops & Robbers, 100 must-see movies |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English Blu-ray: English |
| Dubbed | French, Italian |
| Hearing-impaired | English, Italian |
| Subtitles | DVD: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Released | DVD: 02 Oct 2004 Blu-ray: 09 Mar 2009 Production year: 1997 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (6)
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This superlative filming of James Ellroy's complex 1950s detective story by director Curtis Hanson fuses period authenticity, fluid direction and searing, full-blooded performances. From the apparently open-and-shut case of a diner bloodbath, the sleazy scenario takes a trio of cops — ambitious rookie Guy Pearce, smooth TV adviser Kevin Spacey and punchy hard man Russell Crowe — down a corpse-strewn path of crime, corruption and celebrity lookalikes. The roles fit the actors like tightly stitched gloves, and the film's bruising brutality is amplified by the absence of clear-cut heroes, with the police characters as morally dubious as the film's villains. The excellent script won an Oscar, as did Kim Basinger for her hard-edged vamp, but the picture really deserved a hatful.
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"...Savory color schemes provide a vibrant backdrop for L.A. Confidential....Spacey puts the pride in snide and is a joy to watch..." -- 3 1/2 out of 4 stars
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Most helpful member's review
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32 out of 36 people found this review helpful
As good as the book
Because I had read the book, I did not expect to like L.A. Confidential, but I ended up loving it. The script, set, and most especially the acting were superb. Kevin Spacey combines humour and touches of sadness to his role. He knows what his success has cost other people. Spacey has always been one of my favourite actors and this movie showed that special touch only he can truly bring to a role.
Cromwell was just excellent. Fierce and creepy. Although, I kept waiting for him to say, 'That'll do pig.' He will always be the farmer to me. Kim Basinger was good and she looked the part but I felt like any actress with her look could have played the part. Her scenes with Bud (Russell Crowe) have a lot of emotional depth to them but still I did not feel like her performance deserved an Oscar. It was far from the best performance in the movie. That also brings me to Guy Pearce. Maybe it's because I'm supposed to dislike his character but I just found him very annoying and the role was not that challenging.
Finally, Russell Crowe. I don't care what this man does in his personal life; he is truly an extraordinary actor. The character of Bud White could have just been the typical 'bad' cop but Crowe manages to combine overwhelming brute with a genuine tender side. I love his scenes with Basinger and the scene where he confronts her is heartbreaking as you witness his hurt. This movie truly showcases Crowe extraordinary ability to use his eyes and facial expressions to convey emotion.
All in all, an excellent movie -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Film Noir Movie Twist + Turns Til The End
The first thing that drew me to this film was the amazing cast; Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger and James Cromwell. Although Film Noir isn't my favourite genre I was not disappointed one bit.
Set against the sleazy backdrop of 1950's Los Angeles, three different cops take on the same case in their very own different and unique ways. Ed Exley (Pearce - the golden boy of the police force who believes in fair justice but will do anything to climb the ladder except sell out on his principles), Bud White (Crowe - rough around the edges, willing to break the rules to get justice and a temper simmering on the edge of control toboot) and Jack Vincennes (Spacey - a celebrity seeking cop trying to avoid the gritty nitty work of the force who is only looking out for number one) all take on the case of a homicide at a local diner.
The three clash as they use their own methods as they seek to solve the case. Many twists and turns entail as they eventually have to work together to solve the ever confusing case, climaxing in a dramtic finale with a great twist in the plot to keep you gripped til the end. -
News and features
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Tony Scott puts Denzel Washington and John Travolta through their paces in this big-ticket upgrade on a 70s underground classic. (That’s underground as in subway, not Andy Warhol territory, by the way.) Ostensibly based on John Godey’s novel, not Peter Stone’s screenplay for the 1974 film, this adaptation represents an evolution, but not necessarily an improvement. The plan is essentially unchanged, at least at first. A group of armed men hijack the titular New York subway... Read more
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