Awesome Character Piece

Rating: 9/10 (15 September 2013)

A movie that pretty much launched Russel Crowe and Guy Pearce, L.A. Confidential provides some of the best in character development in films post 1990. A group of Los Angeles police officers in the late 1940s find themselves unraveling and involved with a brutal mass murder. Is it the mob, led by famous LA gangster Mickey Cohen? African American hoodlums, who the police initially target? Or the cops themselves. Every cop character in this movie has a different personality, and a different motive for why he is good, bad, or both. Crowe's performance was nothing short of outstanding, as was Pearce. These were two guys who hated each other and couldn't be more opposite, but both out for doing right. Pearce's character often annoying and nerdish. Crowe, a very likable tough guy. James Cromwell, the smart, straight, but really shady captain, outstanding. Grahem Beckel as Crowe's dirty cop partner, outstanding. Kevin Spacey, a cop torn between his love for being the consultant for a Hollywood TV cop show and making a buck selling stories and following the law in important cases, outstanding. David Stratherin and Danny DeVito, outstanding. The only question. Why did Kim Bassinger win an Academy Award for this movie? There was nothing really outstanding in her performance, and the role wasn't all that important to the film. The writing, outstanding, better than outstanding, as was the direction. There were so many better performances in this film that warranted the award.