Review of Rush (1999) by Barbara A — 22 May 2013

Seasoned undercover narcotics police officer, Jim Raynor (Jason Patric), is told by his superior, Lt. Dodd (Sam Elliott), to choose a partner from a group of recent police academy graduates for his undercover investigation, which has been ongoing for two years during the mid 70s. His choice of Kristen Cates (Jennifer Jason Leigh) surprises Dodd, but Raynor is confident she is the right fit for what he needs. Raynor explains to Cates that all they will have is each other in this assignment. They are caught between the legal world and the illegal underworld, belonging to neither and only able to trust one another. This is a difficult and demanding job, one that will take them both to the brink. Though initially startled by Raynor's intensity, Cates insists she is capable of doing whatever it takes to get the job done. Later at Raynor's apartment, he teaches Cates how to properly shoot up heroin. Cates informs Raynor that she was instructed how to expertly fake drug use at the police academy, which prompts a strong rebuke from Raynor. He informs her in no uncertain terms that she will be put in situations where she will have to take the drugs they will be buying. The drug dealers they will be doing business with are not stupid, and if she tries to fake drug use in front of them, she will get both of them killed. Raynor and now Cates's main objective in their operation is to take down the cunning, mysterious, and powerful drug lord Will Gaines (Gregg Allman). While Raynor (and the Tyler police department) is certain Gaines is the main drug boss in Tyler, Texas, Gaines is an expert at avoiding detection, and deeply mistrustful of Raynor. Unable to secure access to him, Cates and Raynor buy large quantities of drugs from minor dealers in Tyler. These drugs are cataloged and given to Dodd, along with information detailing who they bought the drugs from. The balance between reality and fiction becomes blurred as their druguse and paranoia increases and their relationship intensifies...

Rush is based on the real-life 1977 Tyler, Texas drug scandal, in which Wozencraft and her partner Creig Matthews (who was later her husband) were sent in undercover to try to arrest, and if necessary set up, a Tyler club owner by the name of Kenneth Bora (the Will Gaines character is based on him). Wozencraft and Matthews set up over 100 casual drug users that they bought or were given small amounts of drugs from, most of which they used themselves, and also eventually filed a false case against Bora as well, who spent almost 5 years of a 20 year sentence in prison before being exonerated. Wozencraft and Matthews finally admitted to the U.S. Attorney's office that they had falsely created most of the cases they had filed in Tyler, at the behest of the then Tyler police chief Willie Hardy, including the case that led to Boros conviction and imprisonment. While awaiting trial Wozencraft and Matthews married, and shortly thereafter pled guilty to federal deprivation of civil rights charges. Wozencraft served 3 years in federal prison and Matthews served almost 5. The lives of those that they falsely accused were also largely destroyed. The Tyler Police Department was cleaned up by court order in the early 1980s. Wozencraft is now an author and lecturer, but also remains a convicted felon. The Tyler Drug Scandal remains one of the earliest and highest profile police corruption scandals of its kind, and the scandal led to reforms in evidentiary procedures and other significant law changes. The movie has a slow pace and goes down to an emotional strong level that keeps the tension throughout the running time. The action is sudden and violent, but as well subtle. The main focus is on the effects of drugs and how it changes people, both in body and mind. But, as well on being isolated from outside help, the dangerous risk taken when working undercover, and unexpected traumatic, malicious confrontations that follows this sort of work. Jason Patric and Jennifer Jason Leigh puts on strong performances and I would say that this is Patric´s career highlight for sure. The bad guy Gaines is more or less a silent villain. He is elusive, smarter than any of his partners and as well calculating. Thus, he kind of differs from the classic drug kingpin characters. I like that. The sondtrack is adding to the 70s atmosphere and Eric Clapton's Grammy-winning song "Tears in Heaven" is a song that is hard to not become emotional by, if one knows the true story behind it.