Dark Blue (2003)

As far as stories about crooked cops go, this is one of the best I've ever seen. A dark, violent thriller set to the backdrop of the race riots in L.A. after the Rodney King verdict, written by David Ayer. Kurt Russell gives the performance of a lifetime and should at least have been nominated for an Oscar. Great and terribly underrated film. 8 stars out of 10.In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:imdb.com/list/ls070242495

******************** SPOILERS *********************Dark Blue is not a big production movie and it gives you that impression, but if it's played late in the evening, it's worth to watch. It's not one of those big FBI cases that you read in the press, it focuses more on police misconduct, racism, shootouts and internal rivalries. The positives are Kurt and Ving's acting. Russell reaches a bit at certain times, but he matches the role of the cop crook excellently; Erratic, pathetic, racist, rabid and selfish, yet sensitive and settles in the end, for repentance. His partner, and that is the general consensus, is totally out of his element. He simply was not the right choice for this role and his role itself doesn't work out. The unit is basically a bunch of dishonest cops which he seems to tag along fine, but when Russell urges him to gun down a con, he backs down ? That's kind of weird for a guy who just got cleansed for shooting a man in unnecessary fashion. The other negative is the soundtrack, it's not good, we hardly hear it and it's too generic. The race card too, bothers me, inside the police. On the other hand, there could be more ghetto bashing since it relates to the incidents of police misconduct towards ghetto residents (or simply black color skin people). The final chase doesn't make much sense, too many factual mistakes, it wouldn't take place like that and for Russell not to be spotted from the roof top, just doesn't do it.Overall, there have been far more mediocre movies than this one, it shouldn't be that discredited. I will give it a solid 7 for a movie who's pretension is not to gross profit in theaters with a high budget.

I stayed with this because I liked the idea of using a background of the tension boiling before the King verdict. That was a weird period in L.A. history, because of "Raider Nation," hip-hop, King, and then O.J.Kurt Russell has played this role before. He did it in Backdraft, and various other films. He does it well. He's not really physically big, but he tends to get these alpha-dog roles. Sometimes it's a bit hard to take seriously because he's kind of a pretty boy and again not tall or muscular. But I give him credit. He usually pulls it off well.I loved Scott Speedman in Felicity. But this was not the right vehicle for his youthful, sensitive face, even though he played a gentle character. He doesn't look old enough to be a detective, and he didn't convey proper emotion at the right times or in the right way.The guy who played the police chief was a caricature. He was too hard boiled. I didn't buy it. He was like a comic book character. Almost every character is morally flawed to an extreme. One gal slept with the whole U.S.C. football team, the Assistant Chief had an affair,even the sweet kid detective murders a guy. The Korean store owner who lost his wife is actually a gangster himself. Come on. Are we really that cynical? I thought the scenes of the beginning of the riot were the best part of the movie. I really felt the tension. You can see that Russell is just becoming aware of what is happening. He had predicted it.The last scene ruins the movie. I suppose it could happen in real life, but has it ever? Corrupt cop grandstands a confession at a big awards ceremony, in front of his wife and kid and all the press, and has a crack addict murderer waiting in cuffs to testify. Then the cop offers himself up to be cuffed in front of everyone. Pure Hollywood. It was fun, but if credibility issues bother you, then this ending will too.While the writer did have the corrupt characters make some good sense of the philosophy that getting bad guys off the street at any cost is necessary, ultimately, it was a piece of propaganda partially justifying the riots and slandering the L.A.P.D. Exercise caution while viewing.

"Just say Goodbye."This is the story of an all powerful cop and his world. The script is contrived, but the actors are good.James Ellroy wrote the story and set it during the Watts riots of the '60. He then updated the story as a low budget cop flick, but after seeing the movie he disowned it, so to speak, which is never a good sign. Apparently the script writer, David Ayer, rewrote the entire thing, keeping only some character's names.And it shows. The script is less than believable, things are made to happen unrealistically, and if the characters acted as they were depicted in this movie, they wouldn't have survived a single day. Other than that, the dialog is good, the first half is too long, but the second one is better.The cast is very good. Kurt Russel has a good part, which allows him to prove his skills as an actor. There is emotion, there is power and there is tension. All very well done. The transition between them, however, is poorly done and things just kinda happen all of a sudden. Scott Speedman does a good job as the sidekick. Ving Rhames has a small part, restrained and cryptic. Brendan Gleeson, Michael Michele and Jonathan Banks complete the circle.Dark Blue. Good acting, but the movie as a whole is nothing to write home about. 5/10.