Gritty noir

Rating: Null/10 (11 April 2003)

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997) **** Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Kim Basinger, Danny De Vito. Superb adaptation of James Ellroy's sprawling film noir hommage exposing police corruption in a web of intrigue set in 1950s L.A. entangling three disparate cops at odds with each other and themselves: Spacey as a been there,done that cop who lives for his moonlighting job as an advisor for a tv police drama; Crowe as a pitbull/white knight jacked up cop with a vendetta with female abusers; and Pearce as an ambitious yet naïve detective who uncovers some dark secrets. Tautly directed by Curtis Hanson (who co-scripted the gritty Oscar-winning screenplay with Brian Helgeland) with verve and panache enfused by the powerhouse acting by the three comrades in arms. Basinger won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of a call girl whose resemblance to Veronica Lake is only secondary to her desire for something better. Reminiscent of Hammett and Chandler with a touch of `Chinatown' yet uniquely original nonetheless. Flawlessly executed. The film was nominated for 9 Academy Awards but this was the year of `TITANIC' so that explains why it lost the top spots of Picture and Director but still can't fathom why it copped no nominations for best actor/supporting actor!!!