Everybody needs to stop smoking right now.

Rating: Null/10 (13 November 1999)

I have 3 favorite actors of all time. Al Pacino is one of the three. To watch him act is pure genius. With all due respect to Mr. Pacino, who is a wonderful actor and person, this movie belongs to Russell Crowe. This was a difficult part and character, and he played it beautifully. The whole time, he looked like he was going to have a nervous breakdown. The tremendous pressure that he was put under. "Do I tell?" "Do I keep my mouth shut?". It is a double edged sword. He deserves an Oscar nomination. Al & Michael Mann always pull off a great production when they work together (just watch Heat, you'll agree with me). And to everyone who did not like this: do yourself a favor and don't see movies with involved character stories, because it is impossible to not think of this movie as one of the best of the year (next to American Beauty). If you dont like movies with controversy and character studies, this is not for you. My mother and I loved it and we are recommending it to all our friends. Al and Russell are wonderful and the story & direction are nothing short of brilliant. Finally, a movie with a plot! 4 stars.