Review of The French Connection (1971) by Pieter D — 05 Nov 2018

Watching 'The French Connection' today, it's hard to grasp the movie earned 5 Academy Awards (let alone best picture). The movie is far from perfect and certainly not as flawless as many reviewers say it is. The scenes in Marseille focusing on the gangsters for example are unnecessary since they don't add anything in terms of story or character and they slow the movie down considerably. The pacing issues are made worse because there isn't a lot happening that is worth of interest. The story is very simple and barebones, with underdeveloped characters. Popeye Doyle is probably the most interesting character, but he isn't exactly a character with a lot of layers. The movie does.

Have several merits though. First of all Gene Hackman is a treat to watch, showing great tenacity and intensity as the cop with anger issues. Secondly, the level of grit and realism displayed are to be commended and were clearly an influence for many films to come. New York looks downright dirty and grimy here. Thirdly there is the famous chase sequence which has passed the test of the time and is still thrilling by today's standards.

I felt a bit like the character of Popeye Doyle in the end, feeling frustrated and wanting more after the anticlimactic ending. I expected more of 'The French Connection' and I certainly wasn't blown away by it, probably because of the revered status the movie has acquired throughout the.

Years. The movie isn't anything special by todays standards but it was probably groundbreaking for its time and it is worth a watch to see how influential it was for police thrillers that followed.