Today’s quick review: L.A. Confidential. Sergeant Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is an up-and-coming police officer with a nose for politics. Officer Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a hotheaded but effective cop with a good heart. Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a minor celebrity more concerned with his reputation than his police career. The three men find themselves drawn into a sprawling web of crime and deception that will put their loyalties to the test.
L.A. Confidential is a crime drama set in 1950s Los Angeles. The movie weaves an intricate tale around its three protagonists. A coffee shop massacre kicks off a winding investigation that Ed and Bud approach in opposite ways. Meanwhile, Jack’s high-publicity drug busts turn up questions with no answers. As the three officers pursue their own goals, their paths intersect in unexpected ways, hinting at the existence of a larger mystery.
One of L.A. Confidential’s greatest strengths is its cast. Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, and Kevin Spacey star as three police officers with very different approaches to their professions. Ed Exley, the son of a cop, wants to live up to his father’s legacy. His by-the-book approach to police work rubs his fellow officers the wrong way, but his ability to play politics ensures him a bright future on the force.
Bud White and Jack Vincennes do not share his idealism. Bud does whatever he has to, legal or not, to deliver justice, while Jack spends his time catering to the press. The movie is not afraid to play the three men off each other. Their conflicts give the movie its nuanced moral character: with three dissenting protagonists, the right course of action is never very clear, a theme echoed in their crisscrossing subplots.
The lead trio are backed by a capable supporting cast. James Cromwell plays Dudley Smith, a police who holds the key to Ed’s career. Kim Basinger plays Lynn Bracken, a prostitute caught up in Bud’s investigation. Danny DeVito plays Sid Hudgens, a tabloid writer who collaborates with Jack. With solid performances all around, the cast complements L.A. Confidential’s artful writing and sense of intrigue.
Watch L.A. Confidential if you are in the mood for a gritty, well-written, and well-acted mystery. Featuring a complicated plot that takes full advantage of its three separate protagonists, L.A. Confidential is one of the better crime dramas around. Skip it if you are looking for action or an easy plot to follow.
8.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for high-quality acting and writing.