Review of Narc (2002) by James B — 05 Mar 2007

[size=3]"Narc starts off well above average for a film of its type, but its virtues are soon lost in a welter of cop-movie stereotypes and clichés. The film is at its best when it concentrates on its main character, Nick Tellis, a man who has experienced the personal degradation that comes from being an undercover narcotics officer, one who has successfully infiltrated the lowlife drug world of inner city Detroit. As the film opens, Tellis has been put on leave for his involvement in the accidental shooting of a pregnant woman during a drug bust. Valuing the knowledge and skills he has accumulated in his time spent undercover, the force asks him to come back and help investigate the recent death of another undercover cop at the hands of some dealers. Joining Tellis in his quest is Detective Lieutenant Henry R. Oaks, a personal friend of the murdered man and something of a rogue cop himself, known for going outside the law when he deems it appropriate and even using violence against suspects in order to achieve his ends. Together the two men unravel the clues in the hope of bringing the right people to justice.

For about the first half of the movie's running time, writer/director Joe Carnahan manages to elevate `Narc' above the formulaic limits of its genre by focusing on the personal struggle Tellis is going through. Here is a man who is attempting to come to terms with the trauma caused by his recent experiences, as well as trying to find a proper balance between obsession over the case he's been handed to solve and the love he has for his devoted wife and infant son. The film also does a nice job bringing to life the behind-the-scenes aspects of undercover narcotics works. But about halfway through the film, the plot mechanics begin to take over and we are subjected to the kind of gimmicky plot twists that have become all too familiar from countless crime dramas on TV. To make matters worse, in the case of `Narc,' the revelatory `twist' at the end of the story is one that can be detected about five minutes into the movie. It's a shame that a film that begins with such promise should fall apart so completely, turning into little more than an overwrought, utterly unconvincing two-bit melodrama by the end.

And this does total injustice to both Jason Patric and Ray Liotta, who deliver solid performances as Tellis and Oaks, respectively, and to Krista Bridges, who provides some powerful moments as Tellis' loving but distraught wife who hates seeing her husband becoming once again absorbed by the insidious power of the career he has chosen."[/size].

:rotten: [size=3]1.5/4 stars[/size].