Veteran director Curt Hanson finally struck gold with "L.A. Confidential", a critical and commercial success that was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A murder mystery with some gratuitous violence and sex, only its tight, edgy direction makes the film particularly memorable.
The story takes place in Los Angeles in the
1950s. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a cop
who, due to a childhood trauma, flies off the
handle whenever he sees a woman abused.
Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce) is a smug, younger
cop who plays only by the rules, making him
an outcast among his fellow officers. Jack
Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a corrupt cop
who is special advisor to a Dragnet-style
TV show. They all report to Captain Smith
(James Cromwell), a sinister fellow who
believes that cops are above the law.
Vincennes is in cahoots with scandal reporter
Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito), who works with
aristocratic pimp Patchett (David Strathairn).
One of Patchett's girls is Veronica Lake
knockoff Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger). Bracken
takes up with White, while White and Exley
team up to uncover the conspiracy behind a
series of violent murders.
"L.A. Confidential" has several problems.
The plot is often confusing, there is an
abundance of needless violence, and the
characters have a cartoonish quality rather
than depth. Exley's character seems to
curiously change, becoming more likable,
as the film progresses. These difficulties
have mostly been ignored by critics, who
chose to instead focus on the film's ironic,
edgy style and steamy story.
Basinger won Best Supporting Actress for
her role, while Hanson and Brian Helgeland
won for the Screenplay (adapted from
James Ellroy's novel). Among its Oscar
nominations were those for Best Picture,
Best Director and Best Cinematography. (60/100)
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