Overrated, but still good

Rating: Null/10 (23 January 1999)

"L.A. Confidential" is a good movie. There's no denying that. Now..is it a "great" movie? Well, it's a great noir exercise, let's just say that. "Greatness" usually translates into "originality". This is where "L.A. Confidential" falls short. For all it's undeniable quality, "L.A. Confidential" is basically just a really well done pot-boiler. No more, no less. So was Michael Mann's "Heat", but I didn't see that movie sweep the critic's circle awards. All in all, it's an entertaining little thriller, but it has no real distinguishing features to separate it from a hundred other cop movies, and it will never have the cultural resonance of a "Pulp Fiction".