A masterpiece of storytelling ...

Rating: 10/10 (29 April 2020)

I have seen so many reviews tell people what this movie is about; they are all wrong! This movie is simply about how a corrupt police force bids to take over a criminal empire after the emperor is sent to prison; the emperor being the infamous Mickey Cohen. Their clever efforts are muffled by three very different, intensely smart cops that were considered to be their friends.
A piece of advice: concentrate! Don't wonder off to the toilet or kitchen without rewinding when you get back! Every single word in this highly complex story counts.
This is by far the best cop thriller ever made. The characters are just exploding with, well ... character! And although the two main characters start out by unquestionably hating what each other stand for, by the end they fully understand and respect one another regardless of the fact that they had wronged each other irreversibly.
The cinematography is outrageous, the mood electrifying and the dialogue is cutthroat.
I believe the only reason this movie isn't among the top 10 of all time is that it is too complex. Many people will miss much of it until they have watched at least three times, if not more.
Enjoy.