Hollywood in the best sense

Rating: 10/10 (24 February 1999)

This is a Hollywood film in the best sense of the word, and in almost every sense of the word. This is a triumph of taste, intelligence, craftsmanship, writing, direction, music, acting, design, in short, pretty much everything. There is not one bad thing I can say about this film. Curtis Hanson and co-writer Brian Helgeland deserve a lot of credit for taking a complex novel and making it work on the screen, even though they had to cut a lot of good stuff out. Hanson also pushes himself in the big leagues with his directing, because he really feels close to the material, whereas in his previous films, you just got the sense of a competent craftsman. The acting is also sensational, and though I wasn't rooting for her to get the Oscar (I would have voted for Julianne Moore with BOOGIE NIGHTS), Kim Basinger gave an excellent performance, no matter what the negative comments here have said. The standout, however, is Russell Crowe, who not only is frightening when Bud White blows up, but shows vulnerability without going maudlin. And for those who complain about the ending, it's in the novel.