Riveting character drama & killer plot

Rating: 10/10 (10 September 1998)

L.A. Confidential restored my faith in the possibilities of movie-making. (I periodically need that.) It succeeded in so many ways that I can't really imagine how it could have been better. The motivations and actions of the characters are so coherent that they seem like real people, and the movie gets better with each viewing (on the third viewing I was still catching details I had missed previously).
The truth behind the Nite Owl killings is entertainingly slow to come to light, but my favorite element of the movie was the psychological complexity of the characters, particularly Ed Exley and Bud White. You can feel Exley being tempted to become what he hates and the outcome is in doubt every step of the way. But for me Bud White is the most compelling person in the film, simmering with angry purpose but far more aware than people take him to be. If I cared at all about the Oscars I would say that Russell Crowe deserved a best actor award for this role, but since I don't I will merely say he's absolutely wonderful and everyone should see this film.
Someone else mentioned watching this film with Chinatown as a double bill. I did just that last weekend and found that Chinatown seemed flat in comparison. Though I had to respect it for going for a more obviously grim ending than L.A. Confidential did I was not as involved with the characters. Perhaps that was part of its point. But I know which one I'll be buying on video.