Review of Bad Lieutenant (1992) by Al M — 22 Dec 2009
Bad Lientenant brings together two powerful forces: Abel (The Driller Killer) Ferrara's deranged sensibility and Harvey Keitel's outstandingly emotional yet bad-ass acting. Together these two elements create a cinematic experience that is as stylish and riveting as it is disturbing and brutal.
If you imagine the type of corruption or depravity, then Bad Lieutenant most likely incorporates it. But ultimately it is a film about faith and the desire for meaning in the face of cruel and seemingly meaningless existence.
It is equal parts transgressive cinema and existential drama--Bad Lieutenant exists somewhere between the films of Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver, and the cinema of Ingmar Bergman.
Make no mistake though, Bad Lieutenant is deep and powerful in a way that Tarantino films never have been. In fact, Ferrara demonstrates the manner in which transgressive cinema can be used to explore complex, philosophical themes.
This review of Bad Lieutenant (1992) was written by Al M on 22 Dec 2009.
Bad Lieutenant has generally received positive reviews.
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