One of the best films ever made

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 1999)

There is something very unusual about L.A. Confidential in that, unlike in most features, there is no central character to be played by a well known Hollywood star. Instead, the plot is driven by three cops in 1950s Los Angeles. They are Bud White (Russell Crowe), Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey). The former two actors are both Australian (Guy Pearce was in Neighbours back in 1990) and before this film were virtual unknowns in the movie business. The fact that two of the leads are played by someone who the audience has never seen before is what makes them so fascinating and interesting to watch on screen. They are both absolutely breathtaking as the two very different police officers and they seem very at home in the glitzy and glamorous atmosphere of the 50s that the movie creates. As for Kevin Spacey - he too manages to surprise us with his laid back approach to the role of Jack Vincennes who is frequently called The Big V, a movie star among cops. The storyline deals with a multiple homicide that takes place one night in a café. Among the victims is a bent cop who had just been fired for starting a riot in the police station. From here the story progresses through a number of twists but it is really about the relationship between Ed Exley, the by-the-book career climber and Bud White, the loose cannon psycho who has a thing for helping women. Even if you don't understand all the numerous details of the plot (some of which can be quite hard to pick up on the first time round), the film is still incredibly watchable and tremendously exciting - partly because of the general feel of all the corruption, scams, gangsters and betrayal that existed in 50s LA. There is something about this movie - you have to see it to understand what I mean