Great piece of film-noir; one of the best of the decade.

Rating: Null/10 (21 May 1999)

What can be said that hasn't been already? James Cameron and "Titanic" (which I also liked) may have plundered this film's Oscar glory, but that matters not. "L.A. Confidential" is a triumph of style and substance. It's a movie that vividly recreates an era on a grand scale and succeeds on all counts. It's also one of the most complex crime dramas of the decade; it proves that not everyone is out to emulate Tarantino.
The performances are uniformily good (how were Spacey, Crowe, and Pearce ignored?; Basinger was good, but not totally worthy of the Supporting Actress win.) These are matched by the equally impressive technical credits: the period costumes, cars, and easy-listening soundtrack evoke the time period well. The cinematography by Dante Spinotti ("Heat") is proficient; watch the angle shot when White hangs the assistant D.A. out of the window.
This is a film that will long be remembered. Don't miss it. If you haven't seen it, you're truly deprived.