Review of The Rookie (1990) by Martin D — 11 Jun 2010

In return for Warner Bros. greenlighting his pet project White Hunter, Black Heart (1990), Clint Eastwood directed and starred in this more commercial film, an action caper about a mismatched pair of auto theft cops. Eastwood is grizzled veteran detective Nick Pulovski, who's determined to bring down the chop-shop operation being run by a pair of German crooks, Strom (Raul Julia) and Liesl (Sonia Braga). Although he's been officially removed from the case and partnered with a green, recently promoted detective, David Ackerman (Charlie Sheen), the hard-drinking Nick's not about to let the car thieves get away with murder. David, in the meanwhile, is dealing with his own issues, including the death of his brother (for which he was responsible), his unhappy girlfriend Sarah (Lara Flynn Boyle) and his estrangement from his wealthy father Eugene (Tom Skerritt).

[On the morning news, on TV] I'm standing in front of an East L.A. garage which is the latest link in a chain of six chop shops busted by the L.A.P.D. in the last three days. This is Auto Theft Detective Nick Pulovski. You seem to have gone out of your way to ensure we were here for these raids.

Nick Pulovski: Well, that's right, ma'am. I realize that homicides and splashy robberies get most of the headlines, but it's about time this crime gets the attention it deserves. It's impossible to make a real dent. But it is possible to hurt individual assholes who fuck it up for everyone. Now, I happen to know of a prick that's responsible for the whole fucking operation, and that son of bitch is hurting out there, and I'm fucking liking it.