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Actors: Kevin Spacey, Russel Crowe, Guy Pierce, Danny DeVito
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about L.A. Confidential |
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Centering around the L.A.P.D. in the 1940's. The movie traces the department through all the press sensationalism, and corruption. Pierce plays a police lieutentant who is investigating astring of murders he believes to be connected. Spacey is a well reported, police sergeant who sells out information to the press. Crowe is always at odds with Pierce due to a personal dislike for him, and falls in love with a beautiful prostitute (Kim Basinger) Eventually everything begins to fall apart when it becomes obvious that someone within the department is responsible for the murders, and Pierce and Crowe must join together to survive and solve the crime.
--Evan McKearn, Resident Scholar
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Director Curtis Hanson and writer Brian Helgeland did an amazing job of bringing James Ellroy's gritty novel to the screen. Multiple shotgun slayings at an all-night diner in early 1950s LA suggest either race-drug problems or a gang war. Three very different officers -- bareknuckle enforcer Bud White (Crowe), by-the-book college boy Ed Exley (Pearce), and clothes horse/TV consultant Jack Vincennes (Spacey) -- approach the case from different directions. A wealthy developer (David Strathairn) is somehow involved; he turns out to run a stable of high-class hookers who resemble movie stars, such as a Veronica Lake lookalike (Kim Basinger). Other performers include Danny DeVito as a muckraking reporter and James Cromwell as the shrewd police captian. This 1997 film, a lush tribute to noir that features a terrific combination of action and intelligent plotting, received two Oscars (screenplay and supporting actress) and should have won more (certainly Best Picture over "Titanic").
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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This movie goes in detail of the corruption in 1950's hollywood.There is fabulous acting by both Spacey and Bassinger.A wonderful movie with great music.
--dino, Resident Scholar
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Basically this should have won in 1997 instead of TITANIC. A story probing the dark side of 1950s Los Angeles, including murder, rape, and police corrpution as seen through the eyes of three cops.
--Dave, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of L.A. Confidential |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 37.5%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 32.5%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Crime & Police Story?
Yes
Crime story:
- catching/stopping killer
Blackmail & Seduction
Yes
Criminal enemy is...
- law enforcement gone bad
- Mafia conflict
If this is a criminal POV story...
- criminals killing each other
Romance
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- muscular (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- bulging muscles
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- muscular (man)
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
Hair color
- white
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Physique
- average physique
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
- California
City?
Yes
City:
- Los Angeles
- dangerous
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- gory visuals of deaths
Movie makes you feel...
- challenged
How many deaths in film?
- 8 or more
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- touching of personal anatomy
- seeing breasts
Kind of violence:
- hand to hand
- guns
- knives
Unusual forms of death
- perforation--bullets
- blunt clubbing (like seals)
Any profanity?
- A lot of foul language
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 David Loftus
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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