Seeing this movie the first thought that crossed my mind was why had I not seen this movie before. I know I have wanted to see it for a long time. But I guess it just got overlooked every time. And when I had finally finished the film (and my sister will corraborate) it made me so happy that I couldn't help doing a jig to the music of the closing credit. Which is actually a strange reaction from a film that is a dark and violent and is generally about crime, corruption, drugs, prostitution and everything else that comes with it.
The premise of the film is Los Angeles in 1950's where the city is riddled with corruption at all levels and organised crime is on the rise, drugs is fashionable and prostitutes undergo plastic surgery to look like hollywood stars to give them more saleability, where cops don't mind selling juicy stories for a price and even a hint of a scandal can be used to blackmail anybody to do their bidding. It is in this milieu that the movie follows the career of three cops in LAPD, whose life and work becomes entangled over a common case they pursue for various reasons.
We are introduced to the narcotics division cop, Sergeant Jack Vincennes, played with panache by Kevin Spacey. He is like a star in the cop universe, not because of cases solved or rackets busted but because of his association with television's hottest crime show as "technical advisor" and for featuring in LA's biggest gossip magazine frequently in high profile cases, whose editor is a personal friend. While Jack is not a bad cop and has a conscience in place, he's not above corruption and bribery and, as the Captain later mentions, hasn't done the right thing in a long time. Then there is Russel Crowe as Officer Bud White, a honest but hot headed cop who doesn't follow the rule book but would rather get justice in his style, sometimes bordering on vigilantism and in his zeal to achieve the right have often got mired in further controversy. Guy Pearce plays the third cop in this story as Sergeant Ed Exley, who later gets promoted to a Lieutenant. While Ed is righteous and prefers to follow the rule book, he is also a good talker and likes to think things through, often giving him the upperhand to manipulate situations. His father was also a celebrated cop, killed by gunfire and he states his motivation to join the police force as a direct result of his father's influence as well as his own personal desire to do what is right. But while he goes about looking for the truth, he is also a great talker, and frequently in the movie is mentioned as a good politician.
These three policemen, as part of the same police department, are forced to cross each other several times. Each one has different approaches to situations. For example, when a police fight breaks out in the jail, while Jack stands back and looks on, Bud gets actively involved and Ed tries his best to break up the fight. Even as an aftermath to the fight, you see Bud refusing to snitch, Jack giving a testimony only against a few disposable policemen for personal gain where as Ed testifying against everyone which earns him a promotion but at the same time makes him highly unpopular to fellow detectives.
But the biggest test comes their way over a multiple homicide case in a downtown coffee shop where 6 people are brutally gunned down, among them a man who was Bud's former partner and a Rita Hayworth lookalike hooker whom Bud had encountered on a previous occasion, accompanied by a Veronica Lake lookalike. Bud takes this case personally because of his partner's involvement and later as he gets romantically involved with the Veronica Lake lookalike, Lynn, a role played by Kim Basinger. However, Ed's involvement was more incidental as the detectives being called to the scene was unavailable and he happened to pick up the call, and hence was called to the scene of the crime. But as the case progresses, it is his need for justice that makes him pursue and dig deep where he knows he shouldn't. Jack, who is not a member of the homicide division, is never a direct part of the case. However, he gets pulled into it by Ed, who wants help from someone outside of his division. And Jack is tempted to help as the multiple homicide case is linked to a case of his own where a young actor gets murdered indirectly because of him. Although the case seems simple at first, even leading to multiple arrests and a final gunning down of the accused by Ed, it is soon apparent to both Ed and Bud that it is not as simple as it looks and there is more to it. And it is here as the three of them, sometimes together and sometimes separately, delve deeper into the case, the system starts to unravel as a major drug, prostitution and pornography scandal starts to emerge which brings with it a host of stories of corruption of top officials and people in public positions. The rest of the film follows how the mystery is solved and how these cops deal with it.
As with many classic gangster films, this is dark and brutal and violent. yet the end does leave with it some scope of happiness and hope. The film is a brilliant example of great characterisation and acting. It remains, through out its duration, an edge of the seat thriller, with the pace dipping not once. The story is taut and extra subplots are absent. The film shows the outwardly glamorous side of L.A. in 1950's brilliantly. The use of music, classics from that era, is also superfluous. But it is the acting which takes the cake. Kevin Spacey as Jack makes you believe in the charisma of the cop that behaves like a star. In fact his panache makes Jack's pompousness all the more believable. Kim Basinger is sexy and seductive and yet you can feel the pain of the hooker from Arizona who came to make a name for herself in Hollywood. Danny DeVito as the editor of L.A.'s leading gossip magazine is perfectly sneaky. You can't wait to despise him, so well he fits into character. In fact, for some reason, he reminds me of the character of Wormtail from the Harry Potter series. Russel Crowe as the fire brand officer with a penchant for justice but served his style, with blood and gore, is excellent. Yet the one actor that remains with me most is Guy Pearce. The only cop with spectacles in the entire police department, his very look portrays a calm and smart cop who will not do anything rash. And his intelligence makes you want to trust him with any situation. Yet when he looks at Lynn, you can see the lust in his eyes and you realise he's not the hero after all. In fact so well he plays the role of Ed Exley, you forget where Ed Exley ends and Guy Pearce begins.
As with any movie of this genre, this comes with some classic scenes. The most stunning of them all comes about fifteen minutes before the end of the film where Ed and Bud are holed up in a shack and face an invisible army and stay alive. Another scene would be the scene where Ed convinces the police bosses to make him a hero after the climax. The chillingness of his proposition and his intelligence at coming up with it makes you salute him. And then there is Jack's scene with the captain of the police force where his last words ensure that Ed will be on the right track is also extraordinary. Also brilliant is the the scene where Bud confronts and beats up Ed. And in this scene, the polarisation of the two characters are most apparent. Where Bud is in a rage and takes it out by beating Ed black and blue, Ed uses his calmness and tries to talk sense to Bud, showing him reality. Actually, coming to think of it, the entire film is peppered with such scenes and it is very difficult to isolate just a few. But one scene worth mentioning for the break in character is when Ed mistakes Lana Turner as a Lana Turner lookalike hooker and gets water thrown at him; the subsequent embarrassment yet half smile at the situation breaks the darkness of the film.
L.A. Confidential is a film noir which no aficionado of gangster movies, thriller movies, mysteries or even a lover of good films should miss. The story will keep you engrossed for two plus hours and the acting will rivet you, as it did me. And even as the general effect of the movie wares off, what still remains is Guy Pearce in his spectacles as Ed Exley, the perfect politician. In fact, I still wonder what made him get third billing in this film. But L.A. Confidential gets a double thumbs-up from me. I still wonder why I haven't watched it before.
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