A Classic Example of Film Noir....Modernized for General Consumption!

Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2007)

There was a time during the late 1930's to mid 1950's where a genre of hard-nosed detectives matched wits with cleverly colorful criminals. Where the dialogue was a slick representation of what it meant to be an actor. Where the shadows and darkness was as pivotal to the movie as the lighting. The genre was Film-Noir, and for almost 2 decades, it lived and breathed prominately with other cinematic styles, aiming to thoroughly entertain audiences. During this era, there became far too many films to mention, that were both ultimately, and eternally recognized as classics. Almost 50 years later another film was added to this prestigious list. LA Confidential, Curtis Hanson's homage to a respected genre, whose popularity somehow faded into the darkness it was widely regarded for; eventually disappearing and becoming completely forgotten.
Where to begin with the complimentary praises this film deserves? The film grabs ahold of you from this first second of its beginning, to the rolling credits. The lively hood of each character is successfully achieved. This accomplishment can be attributed to equal parts of excellent screen writing, casting perfection, and the raw talents of the actors involved. I will not get into specifics, due to the fact that I refuse at this point in time to convey anything that could be deemed as a spoiler. Let's just say that everyone, especially Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell, play their respective characters with an underlined tenacity, blended with seemingly effortless coolness. In other-words, each and every single actor has brought along their A-Game to accompany the script, which is also as top notch as the performances that bring it to life.
One other fact that I will loosely point out is the plot line itself. In short, the story ranks with the best from the Film-Noir genre. As the movie carries on, it continues to develop into a plot, thick with twists and turns. Around every corner is a surprise that more or less, is impossible to predict, and can only be anticipated with the type of eagerness that often makes it difficult to breathe. Whether it's the unexpected development of the characters themselves, or the multiple surprises contained within the script, this movie will leave even the cleverest of sleuths guessing and gasping with every cinematic unveiling....All the way to the very end. Yet even though this film is thick with surprises and unexpected character developments, it never feels weighed down, nor at any point does it ever drag. It's because of this fact, combined with the talented performances each actor gives, that I confidently can rank this film as one of the "Must See Movies" of the 1990's! Or one of the best "Film-Noir" pictures ever made. My hat is officially off to anyone involved!