Neo-noir perfection

Rating: Null/10 (10 July 2018)

Los Angeles, 1950s. A big-time crime boss has ended up behind bars and now the criminal underworld is in turmoil, all the players vying for the top spot. Amidst all this we follow three members of the LAPD, as they all try to live their lives, do their jobs and perhaps even get somewhere in life.
What I like the most about this film is its complexity and its willingness to push the genre. It's a neo-noir film, emulating the film noir thrillers of the early 20th century. And it works as a very good example of that genre. Everything from plot to characters to locations to atmosphere is at it should be. But then the film keeps adding to the pile. Especially when it comes to the three main characters. Take Russell Crowe's character, Bud, for example. At first he's a brute, nothing more. His police work hasn't bothered with the framework of the law in a long time and for him his job is an excuse to let out the rage bubbling within him. But then we dig deeper and find reasons for that rage, and suddenly it isn't so black-n-white anymore. Oh sure, he's still a brute, but in a way that we can understand, if not condone.
This holds true for the other two as well. They all start out rather unlikable and unsympathetic. But the longer we follow them, the more we start to like them. And yet they never let go of those central traits we detested at first. If that's not good writing, I don't know what is.
Great movie. Nail-biting and twisting plot with a heavy pulse. Fantastic characters played by A-list stars. Superb technicals helmed by a talented director. What's not to like?