Wow. What a great movie.
Unfortunately L.A. Confidential debuted in 1997, the year James Cameron ruined the film industry with that boat movie, and it never received the attention it deserved (the Oscar for best film) and even now, it's largely forgotten when people discuss the best movies of the 90s.
The movie takes place in the 50s when police in LA just walked around beating the shit out of people, toting shotguns, getting drunk on duty, and blamed all the crimes on blacks and Mexicans...well, technically I guess that could be any decade but in the 50s no one cried about it. The movie revolves around a mass murder at a cafe involving an ex-cop, Hollywood prostitution, and police corruption and explores the idea of how far you can go in the name of justice before becoming the monster you were trying to protect the public from.
The cast is unbelievable. You could never get the three main actors in the same movie today...mainly because Russell Crowe would beat the shit out of the other two. Guy Pearce (of Momento fame) plays Ed Exley, a young cop with a strong sense of morality climbing the ranks of the police force. The always amazing Kevin Spacey (How good was this guy in the 90s?) plays Detective Jack Vincennes, a sleazy cop more interested in getting his picture taken than upholding the law. And finally we have the angriest man in Hollywood, Russell Crowe, playing Bud White, a pissed off musclehead cop with a special penchant for whipping ass...so basically he's playing himself.
The supporting cast is just as solid with Danny DeVito, James Cromwell (in a role far removed from his Babe role), and a very hot Kim Basinger all lending their talents to the film.
The movie is violent, sexy, and reveals Los Angeles for the cesspool of crime, drugs, corruption, and prostitution that it is. The acting is solid all around and all the characters are flawed in interesting ways. It's the kind of solid historical crime drama that was abundant in the late 90s but in short supply nowadays. If only Russell Crowe hadn't gotten so fat...
Why It's Awesome: The movie makes you think about the time period when cops pretty much did whatever they wanted in the name of justice. I'm sure a lot more innocent people were arrested and killed but justice was more immediate and remained protected from red tape and the flawed court systems. Was it better? Those are the kinds of questions that great films make us ask.
Best Quote:
Bud White: What do I get if I give you your balls back, you wop cocksucker? (Now that's a cop!)
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