Reviews::Main

Director: Curtis Hanson Year: 1997 Language: English Country: America

L.A. Confidential is a tale of corruption within the L.A.P.D. in the 1950's. The film follows 3 different police men, each with their own methods and each with part of the key to solving a shooting in a late night cafe.

Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is a by the book cop who is rising in the ranks, but doesn't get on well with his fellow police officers due to his strictness in obeying the rules. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a bit of a loose cannon but his violent outbursts usually get suspects talking. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is the police advisor to a cop drama show and very much enjoys being in the limelight.

As the trio investigate their own leads for their own motives, they begin to uncover something much bigger and are forced together. L.A. Confidential has a plot which starts off multi-stranded, but soon begins to join the different strands together. The main characters are well developed, and there is a firm definition of who the bad guys and good guys are. Well shot and with great performances from each of the main actors, it's a film which is a joy to watch.

L.A. Confidential is a cinema classic which is superbly presented and has plot which really engages the viewer.

Dave W - 19th April, 2010 - 12:11