One of the best in the genre.

Rating: 8/10 (12 September 1999)

Most film-noir movies are pretty good. Personally, I think the best is "Chinatown" followed closely by "The Maltese falcon". However, there haven't been that many recent film-noir movies that rank way up there in the best film-noirs of all-time. But L.A. Confidential is different, so allow me to present to you my third favorite film-noir. Masterfully directed by Curtis Hanson, it IS, in my opinion, the best movie of 1997. Kim Basinger's performance was definitely of Oscar-winning quality and I'm glad she won best supporting actress.
The story basically revolves around this: Three cops, their captain, their precinct, a big-shot criminal in prison, a murder in a diner, a rich man, prostitutes, and a writer. Kevin Spacey plays Jack Vincennes, a hot-shot policeman known especially for being the technical advisor of Brett Chase, the actor playing the main cop in the fictional TV show "Badge of honor". Russell Crowe plays Bud White, the physically strong officer who is especially impartial to women beaters. And finally, the third hero, Ed Exley played by Guy Pearce, who is the smartest, most honest (if not too honest) cop around. These three cops represent the three main aspects of their police precinct: Brains, courage, and honor.
A gruesome murder is committed in a small diner. Ed Exley takes the case. The only problem is that he is despised by most men in the precinct. Bud White wants a piece of the case because his ex-partner was killed at the diner and Jack Vincennes just wants to keep out of it so he can make money working for Cid Hutchons (Danny DeVito) busting criminals, working narcotics. However, we soon realize that the murder connects all three characters together and involves much more including a beautiful call-girl named Lynn (Kim Basinger).
There aren't any flaws in this movie and Curtis Hanson picks up the "Chinatown" aspect extremely well making this, in a way, the "Chinatown" of the 90's because it's just so good. As usual, Spacey delivers a tour-de-force performance which includes action and laughs. Danny DeVito is excellent as well. David Starthairn is terrific as Pierce Patchet, the millionaire who seems to have something to do with everything that goes around in L.A. James Cromwell is equally good as the wise police captain. See it.