One of 1997's Greatest.

Rating: 10/10 (15 June 2015)

L.A Confidential (1997): Dir: Curtis Hanson / Cast: Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny De Vito: Exhilarating masterpiece that addresses the idea of police corruption and media. Guy Pearce plays an underdog cop set to testify against other cops and their conduct. His father was a cop so he tends to do things by the book. Kevin Spacey plays an officer who allows his arrests of celebrities to hit local news. He reluctantly teams with Pearce to find answers involving a strings of murders. Russell Crowe is a good cop yet he uses interrogation to get information out of suspects targeted in an operation. Kim Basinger plays a prostitute who leads Crowe on and allows a picture taken of her involvement with Pearce. She is one of many women modelled after famous actresses. She is to represent Veronica Lake. Finally there is Danny De Vito as a sleazy editor for a show business tabloid containing celebrity gossip. They are all involved in a scheme where a trail of murders point to law enforcement. Expert directing by Curtis Hanson who previously made The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and Bad Influence, but this could possibly be his greatest achievement. He achieves the necessary noir appeal underlining a theme about police corruption, and an underdog who stands against the masses and influences his biggest critics. The result is one of the year's best films. Score: 10 / 10