L.A. Confidential Reviews

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

A film not be missed

A must-see for any person that claims to be a film fan. Set in Los Angeles in the early 1950's, L.A. Confidential is a violent but gripping thriller which examines the dark underbelly and corruption of the city of LA, at a time when it still held a beautiful movie star image. Principally, this is the story of 3 very different cops, Bud White (Russell Crowe), Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce), who have totally different ways of getting the job done. Each with their own agenda, each with their own character and each corrupt to a differing degree, their paths cross in this intricate but brilliantly plotted movie as they seek to find 'the coffee shop killers' and solve the mystery of high class prostitutes 'cut' to look like movie stars. Brilliantly directed by Curtis Hanson and based on a James Ellroy novel, LA Confidential also boasts an outstanding supporting cast including, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Danny Devito and the Oscar winning Kim Basinger. The best film of 1998 and perhaps even the best film of the nineties, LA Confidential should have walked off with a barrowload of Oscars. Better than a thousand Titanic's (if you disagree you're wrong) , LA Confidential never fails to hit it's mark and is simply unmissable.

One of The Best Thrillers You'll See.

Great characters and super acting allied with a twisty plot make this one of the great thrillers of all time. Russell Crowe is as excellent as ever with Guy Pearce matching him as his strait-laced colleague, plus Kim Basinger in Oscar winning form adding a bit of glamour. Kevin Spacey also does a great turn as a 'celebrity cop'. (SPOILER ALERT) The film rounds off with an enormously exciting gun battle making this L.A. Confidential a simply outstanding example of this genre.

Not good.

This last generation style film is not worth anyone's time.

Customer Review

BORING AND RUBISH , DON'T BOTHER. I DIDN'T EVEN INTERESTED TO FINISH THE FILM. NOT SEXY, OR GOOD STORY. WASTE YOUR TIME

So much better that Titanic!!

Yep I'm still twitter and bisted that L.A. didn't get best picture in 1997 and Titanic did. This is a truly great movie. It is different to the book but then again if the book had been faithfully adapted, the movie would be 15 hours long! It helps that James Ellroy was involved in the process. What can I say other than watch this film, pure magic.

OSCAR FEVER!

This is yet another example of an Oscar winning film proving that the only thing fuelling Oscar buzz must be mind altering drugs.

It's rubbish!

Good camera work, costumes and sets, however the story is made very implausible because of certain scenes and also raises some very alarming questions about the LA policing during that time. How much is based on fact and how much fiction? Worth a watch to think it over for yourself.

For pre-Gladiator Russell Crowe fans. A cracking film I've seen several times. Didn't know much abour RC before Gladiator but if you like his style this is a must rent for the sound and picture quality you don't get watching on the TV channels. Even an ex Aussie Soap star puts in a great role and performance.

!!!Warning HOT!!!

First I would Like to apologise for not having watched this film in the same millennium that it came out in. I have been told many times how great this film was, but I never liked the look of it, perhaps it was the cover?

With an all star cast, with names like Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger and not forgetting the little dynamo Danny De Vito, you can tell this is going to be a classy film before you get it out of its case, and believe me it doesn't let you down.

Great acting from all of the above, this story has so many tiwsts and turns you will be on your edge of your seat all the way thourgh. Its so good even my mother likes it!

So don't be a idiot like I was and judge a film by its cover, rent this master piece now! What am I saying, it was only me who hasn't seen it before anyway?!?!