This blog prides itself on being right up to date with its commentary and so, within a mere 15 years (yes, I know, it's amazing!), I bring you a review of the film L.A. Confidential directed by Curtis Hanson. Ever since 'Rupe' (such a nice man and I do wish him luck with his sunny Sunday Sun) sent me one of his 'magic-recording-do-flicker-thingies' I have been recording things like mad - well, it's so easy, you just click around and it's done. The only problem is watching the damn things! Because I'm such an ace with the 'do-flicker-thingie' I have amassed such a huge library of recordings that the poor machine is actually bulging but, and this is the problem, I never quite get around to watching them. And when I do scroll down the enormous list of waiting films I begin to understand the parable of the donkey who starves to death between a wheat field and a grass field because he can't make up his mind which to eat! If only 'Rupe', in all his wisdom, could invent another 'thingie' that would play the recordings in your mind whilst you pottered about doing the rest of your life what a boon to Mankind that would be.
Anyway, L. A. Confidential was as (99%) excellent as everyone and his uncle have been telling me for, well, 15 years, actually. I dropped it 1% because I think the director/writer lost his nerve right at the end and allowed Officer Wendell 'Bud' Wright (Russell Crowe - absolutely excellent) to live - despite being pumped full of more lead than your average lead mine! Not only that, he actually rode off (not on a horse but in a Chevy or something) with his girl into a sunny Californian morning which was such a Hollywood cliche I am amazed the producers could swallow it, particularly after the previous 99% of gritty, sardonic observation.
I use the word 'sardonic' rather than 'cynical' because what lifted the film (and story) for me was that it steadfastly refused to follow the style of some modern playwrights and become just another tedious tale of the inherent and uncurable wickedness of Man. Instead, it showed bad, or at least, weak, men, one or two of whom gradually discovered the good in themselves - and their surprise that it was still there! In this, Kevin Spacey's performance was superb. The fact that this discovery of buried morality then brought about his death is why the word 'sardonic' is exactly right. And the cream was added to this delicious cake when the 'good guy' detective, Lt. Exley (Guy Pearce - terrific!*), in the end, descends to less than pure methods to achieve his moral ends.
Altogether, a first-class piece of film-making and if you haven't seen it yet - what on earth have you been doing for the last 15 years! - treat yourself to the DVD. Next week, in line with our policy, here at D&N, to bring you bang-up-to-date reviews of the very latest in Hollywood films, I shall be giving you my critique of a Mr. Charles Chaplin in a film called The Tramp!
* Guy Pearce - I know he's had a good career but why isn't he up their with the mega-stars of Hollywood?
Yes, it is definitely one of the better films to have come out of Hollywood in recent times. And Pearce isn't really appreciated enough.
Posted by: JuliaM | Saturday, 25 February 2012 at 11:27
I see from his Wiki entry, Julia, that in between films he has returned to the stage in Australia - so good for him but I wish he would appear over here. Also, and I hadn't realised it, he played David, the future Edward VIII in "The King's Speech".
Posted by: David Duff | Saturday, 25 February 2012 at 12:40
I don't really do movies much, but it's worth pointing out that the ending you disparage as a "Hollywood cliche" is actually true to the book the movie comes from - by James Ellroy. It's one of 4 connected novels, well worth checking out.
Posted by: Stan Mann | Sunday, 26 February 2012 at 17:03
Stan, thanks for that because I did wonder and as it happens I used Wiki to make a note of Ellroy's "L.A.Quartet and it is now on my library list. I gather he has a somewhat idiosyncratic style but as I managed Cormac McCarthy, hopefully, I shall manage Ellroy. Even so, I still think it's a soft ending for such a tough story.
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 26 February 2012 at 17:19
Guy Pearce is yet another Australian actor showing the Yanks how it's done.
James Ellroy is terrific.
And speaking of great moments in moviedom, I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to seeing my hero, Jack Reacher, as interpreted by what's his name, that pygmy madman?
Posted by: Andra | Sunday, 26 February 2012 at 23:44
"Guy Pearce is yet another Australian actor", er, but born in England!
I'm dreading the Reacher film and not just because he's being played by a dwarf but also because I'm not so sure they will succeed in getting across Reacher's 'stream of thought' as he weighs up various situations. And the action sequences in which he knocks out, say, six big men can work in prose because you don't have time to think about it but watching it enacted and you will see that it's nonsense.
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 27 February 2012 at 09:19