Weekend Buff

An updated classic in the City of Angels....

Our recommendation on what to watch this holiday weekend is LA Confidential. The movie is a gripping story from the (somewhat unusual) mind of crime writer James Ellroy. Ellroy has written more than 20 books, eight of which have been turned into films. By far, LA Confidential is the best of the bunch.

The movie is a true film noir, incorporating Ellroy’s distinctive writing style into the repartee among the on-screen characters. The cops are snappish and cynical, the femmes are fully fatale, and the saturated primary colors of the sets capture art-deco 1950’s Hollywood with appropriate style and nostalgia.

The plot is a classic detective mystery involving murders, celebrity, and (of course!) corrupt cops (does Hollywood know any other kind?). Unexpected plot twists and well-hidden conspiracies make this one a rarity; a movie that keeps you guessing as to the outcome.

But as you’ve probably gleaned from prior Weekend Buff dispatches, the authenticity of the characters is what really moves us, and here the cast and character development is first-rate. Watching them in action, you get the feeling that you have worked with this group before (and perhaps some of you have).

There is, for instance, media-hound and celebrity-obsessed Detective Jack Vincennes, played by Kevin Spacey. We all know this cop; fighting crime takes a back seat to his next free meal or off-duty gig. He gets more pleasure out of seeing his name in the paper than solving a big case. His autograph book is two inches thick. And how does he afford those suits?

The highly motivated and ruthless Lieutenant Exley is played by Guy Pearce, whose high-and-tight makes him look like a refugee from Parris Island. Exley is a straight-laced, by-the-book climber, desperate to get ahead in the LAPD. The fact that he is not necessarily qualified is immaterial.

But who steals the show is the reliable Detective Bud White, played by Russell Crowe. White is that rough-hewn cop who can usually be counted on to go along with the program and solve cases. He hates perps and will do whatever is necessary — and whatever the boss wants. He’s that guy who will charge through a wall to get the job done, but maybe should have checked the door first. Crowe captures him perfectly.

Is this anything you haven’t seen before? Perhaps not, if you’re a Bogart fan. But it’s done so well, you can’t resist it. So don’t bother trying. It’s a terrific ride.

Alas, it’s a ride you’ll have to pay for. It’s not availabe by streaming, but the DVD goes for eight bucks on Amazon (it’s worth it; the movie is something of a classic, and it holds up on repeated viewings).

[Paul interrupts: I once met James Ellroy at the Manhattan screening of a forgotten film noir from the 1950’s (whose name escapes me). He gave a speech in the theater introducing the movie. I can say honestly it was among the strangest speeches I’ve ever heard. He was even stranger during our (brief) encounter. I like strange, but that’s one weird dude].

P.S. (back to Chris): Happy New Year, all!