Well my dear readers, it’s been far too long but in the immortal words of Mr Vincennes, “Jack’s back”! Back with a vengeance after taking a fair bit of time off due to University work flooding in and a series of Ultimate tournaments to play with my beloved Kent Touch This. Also, a good measure of plain bone idleness that I can’t seem to shake but believe me I’m working on it so stick with me. Reviews one through to ten are up for your viewing pleasure which means it’s time for another discussion of one of my absolute favourite movies. Just like The Fall, it’s another fairly recent movie but set in a Los Angeles of years gone by, there isn’t a pattern emerging here I swear, I’m just playing the cards I was dealt. I managed to pick up L.A. Confidential from an entertainment exchange place in my town, £1 to own a movie like this on DVD was a price I just couldn’t say no to.
So without further ado, let’s get started talking about L.A. Confidential (1997) Directed by Curtis Hanson and my goodness are you in for a treat if you haven’t seen this film, those who have seen it will hopefully understand why I become so giddy with excitement when talking about it. In a word, L.A. Confidential is riveting and you’ll come out the other end of it wondering how 2 hours and 20 minutes just managed to seemingly disappear, such is it’s ability to grab you by the scruff of the neck and drag you into the seedy and corrupted yet, so incredibly stylish, underbelly of 1950’s Los Angeles. After the head honcho in the world of organised crime is brought down by the LAPD, a void opens up that many aspiring scum-bags attempt to fill. We follow three policemen each with unique, and often contradictory, philosophies on how to deal with the issue of rising crime in the city of angels. Three policemen played by three actors who each give the performance of their lives; Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce are all absolutely outstanding in their respective roles and it’s these three that keep me coming back time after time after time. On top of that you have a story that twists and turns it’s way through L.A. as leads get chased down after a brutal shooting that takes place in a coffee joint called the Nite Owl.
Investigations are led by straight-laced, up and coming go getter, Edmund J. Exley (Guy Pearce) who seems willing to sacrifice anything to move through the ranks. Dispensing his own brand of justice, particularly to those who abuse women for which he has a real hatred, is Bud White (Russell Crowe) a man a little to eager to resolve matters through a quick brawl rather than the traditional policing methods. Finally, out to make a name for himself and earn a few bucks on the side for the retirement fund is celebrity detective Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), looking out for the big cases and with one foot in the world of show-business. For me this is no question the best detective film to ever be made, although I am liable to say the exact same thing about Se7en when it comes time to review that. The smooth jazz sets the tone as the men try desperately to establish what happened at the Nite Owl murders and then comes the plinky plonky piano while they move around a beautifully shot Los Angeles, questioning witnesses and interrogating suspects. Throw in the much expected but still appreciated 40’s and 50’s classics from Dean Martin and Bing Crosby and you have a theme that perfectly matches the film in both tone and pacing.
Maybe it’s just me that has a huge soft spot for Los Angeles during this time in history but L.A. Confidential perfectly captures what I imagine it to be like it’s a magical place and the setting itself is as much a key element as the events that happen within the city and tell the story. It pays tribute to the great films of the past like Double Indemnity (1944) and Sunset Boulevard (1950) but it doesn’t attempt to imitate them which would have been so detrimental to everything this movie is able to accomplish. Every line is delivered with such true intent and meaning that you invest fully in each word uttered from their mouths and the fantastic snappy dialogue justifies the delivery. Dialogue that really sticks with you, my personal favourite quote come from Lynn Bracken, a woman tied up with the Nite Owl murders and a string of other cases, “Some men get the world. Others get ex-hookers and a trip to Arizona.” For me it sums up what this movie says about L.A. and while a few people are able to live the American dream that Hollywood is selling, lots of people come in off the buses and their dreams quickly blow away with the wind. If the academy had any sense or integrity then this movie would have been best picture, it’s such a complete film and every twist and turn it takes is paid off, just so long as you’ve been following everything but there’s nothing a second or third viewing couldn’t fix if you did miss a plot element.
I really can’t express quite enough how brilliant I find damn near every aspect of this film, the character arcs of the three leads are so believable and satisfying. I urge anyone who hasn’t seen it to watch it and if you have seen it then please let me know what you thought of it and also what you thought of my review of it. I genuinely appreciate any and all feedback so until next time dear reader, you heard it here first, off the record, on the QT and very hush-hush.
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