A grand cop story

Rating: 8/10 (13 February 2001)

(spoiler alert)
"L.A. Confidential", stylish and sleek, sure is one of the most entertaining films of the '90s. With a great cast, perfected characters, atmospheric setting and a classic cops-against-cops story, it's hard to miss, but this film does more than revive the '50s - it uses the clichés and stereotypes in a very clever way, especially the mysterious blonde bomb-shell Lynn (Basinger), who is in every way the very embodiment of the classic gangster story lady. Almost film noir, the movie centers around the theme of corruption, and gives a very dark and pessimistic view of the world and of the police force: even the do-right, straight-forward Ed Exley becomes hardened by the impossibility of doing everything by the book in the face of a corrupted police force.
The dialogue is excellent, ranging from the most habitual conversations to the stylish, Dick Tracy-like dialogue between Bud White and Lynn Bracken when they first meet. The audience is constantly dodged between comic book adventure and reality, which is a very exciting experience. The film ends in the typical gunfight, bringing to life yet another cliché with great verve.
I'm trying to think of the bad things about this film, but there just doesn't seem to be any. The story is air tight, the acting is impeccable, the required mood is set. What great, stylish cop stories are all about.