effectively brought to life by superb acting, direction, and set design

Rating: Null/10 (14 February 2007)

Stylish, gripping crime noir set in 1950s Los Angeles that's overrun by organized crime and police corruption. More specifically, the story focuses on three disparate cops and their investigation of a local diner shootout. There's Jack Vincennes (Spacey), a glamour boy and seeker of fame who runs scams for a sleazy tabloid; Bud White (Crowe), a volatile and hardened brute never afraid to dish out his own brand of justice; Ed Exley (Pearce), an ambitious and self-righteous golden boy trying to rise above the reputation of his scummy precinct. A compelling, strongly acted, and visually flamboyant period piece with believable characters, intriguing plot twists, and an authentic look and feel of decades past. ***