Review of L.A. Confidential (1997) by Byron B — 28 Sep 2011

Plenty of twists and surprises! This adaptation looks at the way L.A. marketed itself in the 1950s and the grim underbelly that was reality. Television detectives on shows like Dragnet (here the show is given the name Badge of Honor) were trustworthy public protectors who always saw that justice was done.

This movie gives us a variety of cop characters who break all the established expectations. Spacey as Jack Vincennes is the flashy consultant to the TV show cops who surprises himself when he develops a conscience.

Cromwell as Captain Dudley Smith really shattered all my assumptions about high-ranking cops that younger officers could look up to. Crowe as Bud White and Pearce as Ed Exley are excellent at putting a new spin on the cliche bad cop/good cop routine.

They begin as seemingly polar opposites and each follow a character arch that brings them closer to each other. The final showdown is full of suspense as you wish for these two characters to make a successful stand against their common enemy, but unlike in many crime dramas, Bud and Ed, with newly discovered heroic qualities, do not come out unscathed.

Strathairn as a pimp doesn't give much away, but the filmmakers keep his character classy so you are left wondering if he is more civilized than all the boys in blue. DeVito as an opportunistic pioneering trash magazine publisher and our narrator relishes in shooting off his mouth, but foolishly thinks he has made deals with the right people.

Basinger as a Veronica Lake look-alike call girl is all wrapped up in the corrupt plot, but is she an innocent pawn or more intimately involved. Which of these characters can we really trust? They are all well played.

The locations, set pieces and costumes do a great job of take you back to Los Angeles in the 50's, a time when things weren't as they seemed.