L.A. Confidential (1997)

Directed by Curtis Hanson, L.A. Confidential is a movie about police corruption and murder in sleazy Los Angeles during the 1950's. The narrative is principally about three officers who are trying to crack the Night Owl Massacre where several people including an ex-cop are gunned down in cold blood at the Night Owl Café. Its soon realized that this is not as straight forward as first thought. Their approach and police methods do greatly vary as do their morals. Sergeant Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce) goes strictly by the book and feels he needs to outshine his father who was a legend in the LAPD. Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is the flash cop who likes to mingle with the rich and famous. Sergeant Wendell ‘Bud’ White (Russell Crowe) is the no-nonsense cop who uses what ever means to get results including violence and brute force and is feared by many.

This is a brilliantly written film by Hanson and Helgeland that gives us enough narrative twists and memorable characters for several movies. One of the best pictures made in the 1990’s, a treat to watch.

Won Best Supporting Oscar for Basinger and Best Screenplay for Hanson and Helgeland.

4½ / 5

Bananas

Starring

Kevin Spacey (Sergeant Jack Vincennes)

Russell Crowe (Wendell ‘Bud’ White)

Guy Pearce (Sergeant Edmund Exley)

Kim Basinger (Lynn Bracken)

James Cromwell (Dudley Smith)

Danny DeVito (Sid Hudgens)

USA Color 2 hr 18 mins Thriller / Drama / Crime

Director