Contrived ending keeps L.A. Confidential from greatness

Rating: 7/10 (9 November 1998)

L.A. Confidential is a thoroughly entertaining movie with great performances from all - especially the two "unknown" leads. However, it was certainly not the best movie of 1997 (that was The Sweet Hereafter), and it was not as good as some people claimed. It is definitely not another Chinatown. Compare the endings of these two films and you will see the big difference. If L.A. Confidential had not ended in such a contrived, Hollywood fashion, it may have been one of the great films of recent years.