Review of The French Connection (1971) by Jonathan S — 26 Jul 2008
It's astonishing how raw and vital this 1971 cop movie remains. Along with the cop films of director Sydney Lumet, French Connection essentially creates the language of a huge proportion of modern police TV shows and movies, with Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue being the two most obvious examples of that influence.
Gritty, violent and possessed of a cop almost as bad as the criminals he chases, the movie offers Gene Hackman at the start of his career as a leading man -- a dominating, amazingly physical presence who could never have been a movie star prior to the 1970's.
He's just too ordinary looking.
This review of The French Connection (1971) was written by Jonathan S on 26 Jul 2008.
The French Connection has generally received very positive reviews.
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