Review of L.A. Confidential (1997) by Ross M — 16 Dec 2012

"Go back to Jersey, sonny. This is the city of angels and you haven't got any wings.".

One of the finest noir films ever made, it perfectly fulfills the standards set by quintessential neo-noir Chinatown (1974) and the classic crop of 40s noir such as The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Out of the Past (1947). Like any good crime film, it has a strong set of characters portrayed by a stellar ensemble cast. Any film buff only needs to take one look at the list to expect a well-acted thriller. Each of the three protagonists (Crowe, Pearce and Spacey), all have contradicting characteristics, yet share several vital similarities that are cleverly explored as the film develops. The bursts of violence that are spread across the film are exhilarating and memorable scenes, all handled with perfect finesse by under-rated director Curtis Hanson (The Hand That Rocked the Cradle). However, like with almost all worth-while noir films, it is the dialogue that is the best feature. This film is full of cynical lines and speeches and is peppered with moments of bleak humour. These rare moments of amusement are able to be savoured, rather than simply shrugged off, which often happen in less sophisticated films, when one-liners and comical scenes begin to take away from the overall tone of the plot. Any fans of the classic noir films with the likes of Bogart, Mitchum, Cagney will relish in this modern update of a genre that rarely disappoints. Whilst prior viewings of golden age noir isnâ(TM)t necessary, it is certainly a privilege to have a greater understanding of the origins of the themes and styles that are portrayed in this contemporary masterpiece.