A Masterfully Spun Web of Corruption

Rating: 10/10 (18 February 2001)

"L.A. Confidential" is one of the most masterfully spun conspiracy movies in history of cinema. It's also one of the darkest and most violent film noir's i've ever seen. But none of that will matter as you watch because all you'll be able to think about is how the three main police officers can uncover the web and not get killed in the process.
The three main police officers in question are Jack Vincennes(Kevin Spacey, The Usual Suspects), Bud White(Russell Crowe, Gladiator) and Ed Exley(Guy Pearce, Ravenous). Jack is a hollywood cop. He lives for his role as technical advisor on the Dragnet-like show Badge of Honor. He also gets payed by journalist Sid Hudgeons(Danny DeVito, Twins) to give Sid info on busts of celebrities. Bud White is a thug of a cop. He lives to beat confessions out of suspects and to punish woman beaters. Ed Exley is a politician cop. He lives to rise in the ranks of the LAPD and doesn't even care if the whole station despises him.
Add to the mix Captain Dudley Smith(James Cromwell, Babe), callgirl Lynn Bracket(Kim Basinger, The Marrying Man), pornographer Pierce Patchett(David Strathairn, The Firm) and dirty District Attorney Ellis Loew(Ron Rifkin, The Negotiator) and you have a web of corruption, cops, porn and Los Angeles that makes for the most entertaining and best movie of 1997.

This is the movie which should of swept the 1997 oscars not Titanic. Overall L.A. Confidential is the bets movie about L.A since Chinatown and deserves to be seen. 10/10