LA Confidential

Rating: Null/10 (31 October 2006)

Director Curtis Hanson and a terrific cast serve up this thrilling tale of police corruption and Hollywood glamour. Three cops ( Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce), a call girl ( Kim Basinger), a mysterious millionaire ( David Strathairn), a tabloid journalist ( Danny DeVito), and the Chief of Detectives ( James Cromwell) fuel the labyrinthine plot rife filed with mystery, ambition, romance, and humor.
LA Confidential is a tough, gorgeous masterpiece. Definitely, one of the top three of the 90's as a whole. Ladies and Gents, you just don't see films like this anymore! One of the major themes throughout the film is the use of image and appearances. What better setting than 1950's Los Angeles? A manufactured illusion itself.
Quite simply, a brilliant film with a brilliant cast. Flawless. Russell Crowe is fantastic as Bud White, the cop everyone seems to take for granted. There is a hell of a lot more to this man, than simply just an ' enforcer.' Remember, it is Bud who solves the Night Owl case first! Kevin Spacey steals the film as the cool and suave Jack Vincennes. A man who little by little has realized he had lost his soul. Spacey plays him almost as if he were mimicking Dean Martin, and Spacey is amazing to watch.
Guy Pearce is brilliant as the almost nerdy like Ed Exley. Those glasses were brilliant. How everyone was telling him to lose them, and yet he continues wearing them I loved that one scene where he and Vincennes are on the case and he has forgotten his glasses, and Vincennes says to him. " Your kidding! Well just don't shoot me!" Basinger is marvelous and breath-taking and Cromwell as Capt. Dudley Smith is just riveting. The man scares the crap out of me. Ahh! And only Basinger received ANY nominations? What???????? My favorite scene is probably the one where Bud and Ed confront the Dist. Atty. ( Ron Rifkin) in his office, and Bud starts beating the crap out of him. " Pull him off me, Exley," he yells. Pearce, brilliantly responds. " I don't know how!" Another scene I loved was the one where the cops are beating up these suspects in jail, Vincennes is kind of just standing around, and all of a sudden someone's blood gets on his jacket, and he jumps into the action.