Hey, Chinatown (1974) called and it wants its story back  standard crime thriller template but with lots of flair and feeling

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2006)

What L.A. Confidential does better than its 1974 predecessor Chinatown is its treatment of characters  they are dynamic, well-acted and dimensional, all fitting the story perfectly and propelling the film with their charismatic presence. There is no longer a sole Jack Nicholson who needs to facilitate the film all by himself, but an all-star ensemble cast of a police force.
Three cops from this police force are at focus, the ambitious Exley (Guy Pearce), the sly Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) and the brutal White (Russell Crowe), all working for the internally stormy LAPD. They are investigating a series of murders in the city that all seem to be strangely linked, glossed over and above all merciless. L.A. Confidential is a self-describing title  the affairs that propel the film are all hush-hush and you feel it in a tense, film-noir atmosphere build up to an engrossing crime thriller.
The narrative flow is steadily set at a patient and careful pace, enticing the viewer with just a hint of foreshadowing of corruption and murders  it rarely dishes out huge doses of spontaneous violence. When it does feature bloodshed, it is at a time so carefully construed that it becomes effective for the story, like the violent showdown with Exley in the suspects' hideout house. That is another thing L.A Confidential does better than Chinatown, in which it was all mood and no culminations. Here we have well-placed, sweaty action.
Atmospheric, suspenseful and often exciting  and while certainly glossy in a Hollywood glamour days style, this particular part never outshines the characters or template plot. Visuals are placed in the backseat to make room for the all-star cast. So, my hat's off to you, Curtis Hanson, for carving out such a balanced and entertaining product. The curse of 1997 ensured that L.A. Confidential never got to take home the big awards. Titanic is this curse, and it completely swallowed all the big titles are the Academy.
But I am not so sure I would have awarded L.A. Confidential with Best Picture even if Titanic had been out of the picture, because this merely manages 'very good'.
8/10