I just can't get over the ending -- too pat.

Rating: 6/10 (22 January 2003)

One of the strengths of this movie was that it was an old-fashioned film noir made without any of the constraints that the old studio system would have required. The old studios rules were that: good always will prevail (check), there must be a romance (check, in a movie as cynical as this one the Kim Basinger - Russell Crowe romance really seems out of place) and possible redemption (check, Kevin Spacey). This wouldn't have bothered me except the first part of the movie was so good and was moving towards a modern (complicated and unresolved) finish when it was like the studio swooped in and said "No, we better make sure there is a happy ending so we won't offend anyone." Oh sure, there is plenty of profanity and a big emphasis on sex, drug use and racism to give "L.A. Confidential" the modern edge but where's that "Forget it, it's Chinatown, Jake" finish?