L.A. Confidential (1997) User Reviews (850)

A fascinating look at life in the big city

[hall895 · 8/10 · 19 August 2005]

Give a collection of great actors a great story to work with and you are likely to end up with something rather special. Such is the case with L.A. Confidential. The boldface names jump off the page...Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, James Cromwell and, in his first big-time role, Guy Pearce. And none of these big names are just mailing it in, here to collect a paycheck. They're all on top of their games, undoubtedly helped to no small extent by the wonderfully nuanced and utterly intriguing story.

This story takes place in 1950s Los Angeles but this is a side of L.A. most people don't get to see. Behind all the Hollywood glamour L.A. has a seamy side which will be the focus of this tale. At the heart of the movie are three cops who ostensibly are supposed to be working together but who go about the business of dispensing justice in very different ways. Crowe plays aggressive hothead Bud White. Spacey is Jack Vincennes, who takes more pride in his work as an adviser on a popular television cop drama than he does in his actual police work. And Pearce plays Edmund Exley, a young up-and-comer in the department who plays things by the book. As we will soon see Exley is rather unique in an LAPD which believes in doing whatever is necessary to bring the guilty to justice. Even if it means becoming a little guilty themselves.

The movie really begins to move forward with a massacre at a coffee shop. It seems a pretty cut and dried case but initial appearances can be deceiving. Soon White, Vincennes and Exley will find themselves caught up in a maze of lies, deception and mystery. It will be a great test for these very different men as it appears they may well need each other's unique talents to solve this puzzle. And quite the elaborate puzzle it is. One important piece is Lynn Bracken, a high class call girl played by Basinger. Tying together many of this complex story's strands is gossip writer Sid Hudgens who is played with appropriate sleaziness by DeVito. And in the background the whole time is the somewhat mysterious Captain Dudley Smith, played by Cromwell. Here is a man who believes in bringing the guilty to justice by any means necessary. That's all well and good if you know who the guilty are but in L.A. Confidential you're never quite sure who to believe. The viewer is guessing right along with the investigators on the screen. And in the end it all comes together and pays off brilliantly.

L.A. Confidential is first and foremost a great story, with many fascinating twists and turns along the way. The film also serves as a showcase for some of this generation's finest acting talents. Each of the main characters is wonderfully unique and each of the actors involved does a terrific job in bringing those characters to life. These are complex characters in a complex tale. It's so involved that the acting had to be stellar if this film was going to work and none of the stars disappoint. Terrific storytelling brought to life by a collection of inspired performances makes L.A. Confidential an absolute winner.

One of the best

[sallyshirla · 9/10 · 11 March 2019]

We've not come very far since this classic in terms of high quality cop crime dramas. Acting and direction is perfection.

I Wish This Film Had Been Five Hours Long

[gavin6942 · 9/10 · 18 September 2006]

What happens when a squad of corrupt cops in the 1950s explore a murder case from multiple angles and find their corruption coming back on them like chickens coming home to roost? Who will solve the crime? Who will survive and what will be left of them?

This movie is phenomenal. The only reason I didn't give it 10 out of 10 is because I didn't care for the ending (which I won't reveal). It's a world were Hollywood and law enforcement cross over and even the hookers want to be movie stars.

I have not read the Ellroy novels, but I have been told they are even more intricate than this film with a lot more backstory. I would watch a five or six hour version of this film. But even so, that is the strong point of this film: multiple stories that begin to overlap. Sure, others (Tarantino) have tried this, but I think this is the most expertly done conception I've seen yet.

Kevin Spacey's part as a Hollywood obsessed cop is beautiful and he fits the part to a tee. His role is supposed to be similar to Dean Martin and I can see that; Spacey again harnessed this kind of character when he made "Beyond the Sea". Spacey's role is the connection between the world of law and the world of fame.

Russell Crowe plays the "bad cop" who crosses the line with sheer thuggery and an attraction to a prostitute (Kim Basinger, who does a fine job being both alluring yet tasteful). His part was supposed to be for Michael Madsen (one of the greatest actors of all time for a cop/crook movie), but I think Crowe may have been the better choice. Who else can be a natural thug?

Guy Pearce... I was not sure how to take him. I have not enjoyed him ("Time Machine") and yet also loved him ("Memento"). In the beginning, I thought it would be another geeky Pearce role and I was a bit concerned. But as the film progresses, so does Pearce's character become more lovable and impressive. You'll agree.

Danny DeVito was okay and James Cromwell was insidiously delightful.

Brian Helgeland adapted this screenplay. You may know him best as the writer of "A Knight's Tale" and "The Order". The Order was crappy. But A Knight's Tale is fantastic. This, by far, will go down as his crowning achievement. He may as well call up Michael Bay and go retire in the South Seas where they'll never be found.

Simply put, this is the best film I've seen in at least a month (and I watch at least a movie a day). Maybe the best film I've seen all year. Don't set this movie aside, you need to put this on the top of your honeydew list.

Everything in this film is fantastic.

[Giuseppe Giuseppe · 10/10 · 11 January 2000]

L.A. Confidential is, without a doubt, the best film of the 1990s, and quite possibly one of the best films ever made.

As with any great film, it all starts with the writing. The story is riveting, the dialogue is smart and quite funny, and the characters are written in three dimensions.

The acting is phenomenal. Perhaps a bigger tragedy than L.A. Confidential's loss to Titanic in the Best Picture race is that none of the three lead actors even garnered nominations. Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, and Kevin Spacey are absolutely phenomenal; it is their characters that drive this fascinating story about police corruption in 1950s Los Angeles. We get to know these people, to understand who they are and why they do what they do, and to root for them to overcome their imperfections.

The directing is fantastic. Curtis Hanson doesn't shove anything in the audience's face; instead, he allows the audience to discover the film's nuances on their own. (That makes this an excellent film for repeat viewings, you truly catch something new every time). 1950s Los Angeles is reproduced beautifully. The editing is quick and seamless, the music is perfect for the film (Hanson should teach other directors how to do a montage effectively), and the cinematography is great.

I can't find a negative thing to say about this film. It's truly a masterpiece.

Three Phenomenal Actors Give The Performances Of A Life Time

[flipgirl38 · 1 September 2003]

Six years ago, a director by the name of Curtis Hansen came out with a small time film named L.A. Confidential. Though the movie garnered several big nominations at the 1997 Academy Awards, the nation had been swept up by the gigantic and romantic blockbuster, Titanic, thus shrinking the chances of this brilliant movie from garnering any real awards. 1997 completely screwed this phenomenal film, in which three brilliant actors gave the performances of their careers.

Russell Crowe plays Detective Bud White, a tough L.A. cop who bends the rules in order to bring justice to the city. He is ruthless, and unforgiving of anyone, which brings him into direct conflict with Detective Lieutenant Ed Exley, played by Guy Pearce. Russell Crowe became with this role a full pledged character actor,: the cop with a steel physique, and a vulnerable heart. He becomes so believable and real to the audience, you can not help but sympathize for his character under the circumstances. From this role, Crowe went on to garner three best actor nominations, winning for his role in Gladiator.

Guy Pearce, the little known Australian body builder, became the character known as Ed Exley, a straight, uptight detective trying to live up to the legend his father created before him. Exley has so much to prove to the LAPD, trying to show them that he is just as good, maybe even better, than his father. He plays the politics in a corrupted police department very well, and is able to use these skills in solving the corrupt and mysterious case of the Night Owl murders. This film officially put Guy Pearce in the big leagues of film, making his next appearances in Memento and The Count of Monte Cristo. He is a severely underrated actor who deserves better than what he has been getting.

Finally, the ever wonderful Kevin Spacey. Spacey plays Lieutenant Jack Vincenes, a cop who gives a popular LA police show, Badge of Honor, real solved cases in return for money. Jack sees his life as an ever going soap opera, until he comes across a case that somehow has a connection to the Night Owl murders. Kevin Spacey has proved time and again his abilities as an actor, and he continues with this performance.

Curtis Hansen does a wonderful job bringing this story to the big screen. His talents, although recognized, have not been awarded as of yet. I can only hope that someday, someone will give this amazing director something worthy of his talents.

Highly Recommended.

MJR

hard-hitting, smart movie

[trvpup · 10/10 · 15 March 2005]

Although this movie 'flopped' at the box office at $53 million, this just may be one the smartest movies you haven't seen. With great performances from an ensemble all-star cast and a clever script, the dramatic tension of this modern film-noir classic is an absolute must-see! Told through a variation on the theme of "good cop, bad cop" with an overarching corruption angle, this film cleverly deals with issues of racism, social justice and ethics in a non-discriminatory manner. Character development is well-done and the dramatic tension is superb. If you are a fan of crime-drama and detective stories, you won't be disappointed!

Superb film-making

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 11 June 2017]

As a fan of mysteries and thrillers and who likes a lot of the cast (such a great one on paper), expectations were high for 'LA Confidential'. And 'LA Confidential' didn't disappoint at all, it is an outstanding film on all levels and should have won the Best Picture Oscar of 1997 and won more.

Visually, 'LA Confidential' looks great. The photography is both audacious and stylish, suitably the story and genre superlatively. A good music score also helps and there is an appropriately haunting one courtesy of one of the greatest film composers ever. Curtis Hansen directs superbly, it has a lot of style and how it balances everything is so cleverly done, he hasn't made a better film and to me it's the best directing of his entire career.

'LA Confidental' richly deserved its Best Screenplay Oscar. No other film that year came close to the film's rich character development, complexity and its refusal to fall into cliché territory. All the characters are compelling in their realism and none of them feel stereotypical or one-sided, actually breaking the mould of good cops and bad villains. The story is gripping in its intensity and thrills, with plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and very rare a dull moment.

The acting is exceptionally full-blooded and there isn't a single weak link. How Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce and Kevin Spacey weren't nominated for Oscars is unfathomable. Spacey in particular is brilliant, though Crowe is appropriately hard-nosed and Pearce has rarely been better.

James Cromwell and Danny De Vito also shine. Cromwell is chillingly insidious and De Vito has never been slimier. Whether Kim Basinger deserved her Oscar win is up for debate, to me it was a very worthy win where she gives her role hard edge and charm.

In conclusion, superb film-making and an outstanding film on all levels. 10/10 Bethany Cox

The cast of a lifetime in a 1997 noir set in LA of the '50s

[blanche-2 · 10/10 · 29 May 2010]

One of the greatest films ever made, L.A. Confidential benefits from a great script (Brian Helgeland), great performances (Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell, Danny DeVito, David Straithairn), and great direction (Curtis Hanson). It's not easy to do a film noir in modern times that is set it in the past. All too often, the performances are too stylized or nonorganic, the direction is stilted -- the whole thing comes off as an attempt, and not a very good one. In this case, though, the result is brilliant.

Basically, L.A. Confidential is the story of three very different kinds of police officers who become involved in the same case, the Night Owl Murders. There's Russell Crowe as Bud White, the loose cannon, a strong but vulnerable cop; Guy Pearce as Exley, the political, honest, by the book cop who incurs everyone's wrath; and Kevin Spacey as Jack Vincennes, the celebrity detective who is a consultant on a Dragnet-type TV show, Badge of Honor. He works hand in hand with a writer for Hush magazine (Danny DeVito). But they're not the only ones embroiled in the Night Owl diner slaughter. There's Dudley Smith (James Cromwell), the Chief of Police, Ellis Loew (Ron Rifkin), the bisexual D.A., the wealthy, powerful Pierce Patchett (David Straithairn); and Lynn, the Veronica Lake-lookalike call girl (Kim Basinger). And Rollo Tomassi, of course - an important name in the investigation.

It's hard to single out any one performance. The film is perfectly cast. The three officers - Spacey, Crowe, and Pearce - are as brilliant as the characters they play are different. And everyone else in the cast is fantastic as well.

Historically, there are some things that are not correct as far as Hollywood - The Bad and the Beautiful and Roman Holiday did not run at the same time; and the duo of Johnny Stompanato and Lana Turner came later. However, two elements of the film are based on reality or at least rumors - there was supposedly a call girl ring where the women looked like famous film stars; and "Hush" magazine, the cover anyway, looks like "Whisper" magazine from that era.

L.A. Confidential is a story of twists, turns, and camaraderie that take place on the mean streets of '50s L.A., a story that winds up changing the lives of everyone involved. Filled with atmosphere and suspense, it's a not to be missed, violent, vivid portrait of a time when things at LAPD were (and still might be today) off the record, on the q.t. -- and very hush-hush.

Rollo Tomasi, do you still remember?

[redzon19 · 10/10 · 2 March 2011]

"Rollo Tomasi" is a name that anyone had seen this movie should remember for the rest of his life or at least be aware of the existence of the name, because this is the key to the spirit of this whole story. Due to the setting of this clue, there is no doubt one great movie had become a classic!

As a Taiwanese, I saw a lot of Hong Kong movies about police and gangsters while I was a child, and they were all very impressive. Therefore, the particularly genre has been promoted to such high levels in my mind that I can hardly be pleased. Fortunately, "L.A. Confidential" satisfies me not only with its thoughtful scenario, but also with several great actors' performances. More specifically, the story is not just about justice versus evil, there are also many elements such as passion, wisdom, greed, friendship and of course love which all made this movie more than fun to watch. In other words, you might feel angry at this moment, shocked latter, and finally moved by their insistence on doing the right things which made us believe there are still several police worth our trust.

Guy Pearce was one big surprise in the movie not because he played the leading role of the movie, but for his courage and wisdom, and most important of all, his slightly pride that caused admiration accompanied by hostility at the same time. Because the complexity he showed, we couldn't help but be deeply attracted, and that's when we built connections with the character inside the frame. Secondly, Kevin Spacey was not the one who would gain our trust at first, but no one ought to disagree with his contribution after the shocked "Rollo Tomasi" scene. Likewise, Russell Crowe twisted his role impressions only after his cooperation with Guy Pearce, but he really needed to adjust his tempers for his own sake. Such a crew made this great movie never out-of-date, not even after similar stories keep brainwashing our minds.

How lucky I am to see such a classical film. As a matter of fact, I haven't found one movie that reaches the same level as it did, at least not in the genre. Thus, I just have to repeat watching the film again and again, and I believe many people are doing the same thing I do.

Will stand the test of time.........

[Buzz-17 · 10/10 · 3 August 1998]

When a film evokes an era as well as L.A. Confidential does, people take notice. It could be argued that it is easier to replicate the recent past than the distant on film, and in a sense this is true. Costumes, language, and the necessary absence of the modern in "period pieces" make them expensive and difficult to film. But couldn't it be argued that it is just as difficult to make a film about more recent periods? I have no knowledge of how a Victorian era table was set, or what a knight really spoke like; we are subject to the directors view of reality. But what if a good deal of your audience lived through the time you are portraying, as in the case of the 1950's? I can even envision my grandfather coming back from WW2 to a booming economy, and living in the world Curtis Hanson created.

The real genus of this film is that it creates not only a physical world, but one with all the politics, corruption, racism and inequity of the time. As a result we feel the characters motivations and understand their faults all the better; Bud White, Ed Exley, Lynn Bracken and Lana Turner all live here.

This film, like others that make us believe we are there for two hours (and $7.50), will endure. I was thinking a perfect double feature would be with Chinatown, another film that will stand the test of time.

Hollywood Wasn`t Ready For It

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 12 February 2003]

Hard to imagine now but in 1997 many of the cast in LA CONFIDENTIAL weren`t well known . Kevin Spacey had an Oscar under his belt but hadn`t appeared in many starring roles , Guy Pearce was known only to NEIGHBOURS fans while Russell Crowe was remembered only for his powerhouse performance in ROMPER STOMPER . In fact it sounds ridiculous in 2003 but the two best known members of the cast when this was released were Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger

The real star of LA CONFIDENTIAL is the script . I`ve never read the novel but I`ve often heard it`s unfilmable . Never once did I get the feeling this was true while watching the film adaption because the only thing to strike me about the script was its intelligence , yes you`ve read that right an intelligent Hollywood script complete with violence , wit and a couple of shocking twists and turns . The only criticism about the story is the old cliche of one of the cops being a naive idealist while the other cop is a violent fascist thug .

LA CONFIDENTIAL was stuffed at the Oscars by TITANIC but that`s not surprising . How many academy voters are going to love a film about corruption , vice and murder set in Hollywood ?

The Best Film of 1997

[Sickfrog · 10/10 · 14 August 1998]

Truly, one of the greatest mistake the Academy has made is not awarding this film the Best Picture award. For months, I argued that while "Titanic" was a nice spectacle with great special effects, the script, the directing and the acting was all rather mediocre. However, here we have "L.A. Confidential." Perfection in script. Perfection in directing. Perfection in cast. Obviously, because Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce and Kevin Spacey all gave Oscar worthy performances, the voting was split, and therefore, none got enough votes for a nomination.

Crowe gave an invigorating performance and Bud White, a man who knows that he is not very smart and has instead relied on pure brawn all his life. But as the film progresses, you watch him yearn to put his strength aside and become self-reliant, instead of being purely muscle for the cause of justice, which has become obscured as he has had to resort to violent and debatably immoral method to preserve peace in Los Angeles. And yet, while he does make us question whether he is going to end up on the side of good or evil by the end of the film uncertain, we do empathize enough with him to hope that he does redeem himself by the end.

Pearce delivers Ed Exley as a man who is wholly set on the purest means of justice. While he follows his father into the same profession, his goals are unique; to uphold the law without having to bend or break it. And yet, his good aspiration are certainly out of place in the corrupt organization of the police of that time. He slowly becomes drawn into the graft. He becomes glory-hungry, pulling whatever strings he has to in order to be promoted or be seen in a good light by the press. And yet, he does begin to find himself giving into exactly the cause he fought against. And so, throughout the film, he struggles to overcome the instinctive nature of man to achieve power and glory. He has to be a better man than that. And so, the audience can quickly see the nobility in that. He is not perfect. But at least he tries to be.

And probably the best performance in the film comes from Spacey. Here we see what Exley might have become in a few years if he wasn't careful. Jack Vincennes has succumb to the call of money and celebrity status. He does not care in the least about duty or about justice. It's all become simply a matter of vanity. And yet, he begins to see through his own fault. Spacey's performance is undoubtable the best, because he is one of those actors who doesn't have to try to communicate his emotions in order to communicate them (or, at least, he is good enough not to show the strings). I had to watch this film several times to really take in the impact of his role, and fully absorb his character. His key moments within the middle of the film are absolutely unforgettable. When he stares into the mirror of the bar after receiving the hundred dollar bill, that scene is a turning point for the character. And he was able to convey the message of that scene without saying a thing. And also, when asked why he became a cop, the delivery of that next line, just that, was Oscar worthy on its own.

Even aside from those three performances, it would have been totally respectable if James Cromwell or Danny DeVito had received a nomination. Truly, this film had one of the greatest ensemble casts ever captured on screen.

A good, old fashioned movie

[ra_stiles · 7/10 · 28 August 2009]

What I love about this movie is the film noir quality that keeps you wanting more. Each body in this film is not just a person, they're a character. They each have something to gain, whether noble or not, and that is what makes this film interesting. The shootouts are fun, but the plot and characters are what drives this movie.

My one criticism is the length. There were parts where the movie just seemed to drag a bit. In my opinion, the "Bloody Christmas" bit could have been cut altogether, or, if they needed a way for Guy Pearce's character to get his Detective badge, it could have started with him as detective and then been mentioned in passing. It wasn't really necessary to the rest of the plot.

Other than that, however, this movie is excellent.

Read my original review of this movie at http://themoviemistress.blogspot.com/

Only half GREAT!

[lemasque · 5/10 · 7 October 2002]

Reviewers have been far too generous in praise of La Confidential. The script is a perfect example of Hollywood once again dropping the ball. The first half of the film is GREAT, as good or better than I wanted it to be: a juicy plot (plus various sub plots) of just the right complexity, a seductively delicious milieu, and fascinating characters.

WARNING: SOME OF WHAT FOLLOWS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED SPOILERS!

Suddenly without warning, the story switches to the favorite action movie plot used by every other Hollywood hack – THE BIG CHEESE VILLAIN. You know this one, the evil authority figure symbolizing the corrupt establishment (such as a CEO, superior military officer, high government official, football coach, etc.) that no one would ever suspect turns out to be the criminal mastermind behind all the movie's mischief and mayhem. That worked in This Gun For Hire with Alan Ladd, but has been beat to death since Viet Nam and Watergate.

From the moment that Kevin Spacey is killed, the movie runs on automatic scriptwriter. As always the case with THE BIG CHEESE VILLAIN FORMULA, the major plot conflict and all sub plots can be conveniently resolved with an action packed ending where the hero (or heroes in this case) confront the villain and an army of evil henchmen in a setting reminiscent of the OK Corral. In the end, countless bad guys are blown away, yet THE BIG CHEESE is left to kill. As we've seen many times before, the crafty arch villain almost kills our heroes. And just when you've given up all hope, those physically and emotionally wounded good guys manage some last minute gunplay neatly dispatching old Mr. Corruption. And the world is right again.

As a bonus, the filmmakers of LA Confidential tacked on a schmaltzy epilogue with some cornball lines and long pathetic stares. This is a painfully obvious attempt to dupe us into thinking we experienced something profound. Oh yes, our heroes are a little more cynical, but they are much wiser, caring men, and their tarnished honor is still intact. Reminds me of Nancy Olson's line in Sunset Boulevard, `...just a rehash of something that wasn't very good to begin with.'

If you award flawed films like LA Confidential a top rating, what about noir classics like The Big Sleep, Out Of The Past, and Chinatown -- twenty stars at least? Personally, I would have enjoyed seeing more of Kevin Spacey and the ‘50s TV angle – as that's something different. I guess the filmmakers were constrained by the book, which I haven't read. But that doesn't excuse throwing out creative license, taking the easy way out, and opting for THE BIG CHEESE VILLAIN FORMULA, even if it's in the book.

A "Chinatown" for the 1990s

[tfrizzell · 25 June 2000]

"L.A. Confidential" is brilliant. The screenplay and direction are second-to-none. The performances by the ensemble cast are also superb. Kim Basinger stands out the most with her Oscar-winning role. Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, and Danny DeVito all have their moments as well. The film deals with the seamy side of Los Angeles in the post-World War II 1950s. Los Angeles is a place of shady dealings and police corruption. To add to those problems is the creation of the smutty tabloid. Multi-layered and smart, "L.A. Confidential" will be the greatest survivor of the films released in 1997. 5 out of 5 stars.

Tour de Force

[kyra16 · 10/10 · 9 February 1999]

This is the ultimate movie on the corruptness of the police force during the 1950's. No one is going to make a better movie than LA Confidential, the cast is perfect, the direction is superb, the screenplay is amazing, the choice of music, the graphic brutality, the not so fine line between good and evil.

When I saw this in the theatres, I came out of the theatre and couldn't say anything because I was awed. And I was amazed by how wonderful Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce were, I had never heard of them before, so I didn't know what to expect, but now I have two new favorite actors. And I couldn't believe that Russell was a New Zealander and Guy was an Aussie. They had great American accents. And of course Kevin Spacey was superb as always.

Any way, this is an awesome movie, go rent it if you have not seen it.

This is how a proper crime story should be told!

[Mr_PCM · 10/10 · 3 February 2006]

LA Confidential is a sprawling epic tale of crime, corruption and justice in Hollywood and the LAPD, with a cast to match. A truly gripping crime saga exposing the seedy underbelly of the City of Angels, where cops never let the truth get in the way of justice, and everyone knows everyone else's dirty secrets.

Criminally overlooked at both the box office and the Academy thanks to the all-conquering and over-achieving Titanic, LA Confidential will far more likely stand the test of time to be thought of as one of the best films of the 90s, and possibly the best cop film ever.

After cops give a number of inmates a beating in retaliation for two of their own being put in hospital, the career-minded Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) agrees to testify to what he saw, turning in his fellow officers. When one of the cops forced out turns up dead as a result of a shooting, Exley, hothead detective Bud White (Russell Crowe) and fame-obsessed Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) all work to find the answers. However, as they uncover the truth, it leads to more questions, of corruption, blackmail, bribery and conspiracy.

The film superbly portrays the dual nature of Hollywood; glamorous parties and beautiful people, and the seemingly ever-present crime and corruption, even in the police. Danny Devito's opening monologue perfectly sums it up - 'There's trouble in paradise'. This is not the city at the end of the rainbow, the city where dreams come true.

A series of stellar performances from an all-star cast makes it impossible to pick the star, although Kim Basinger richly deserved her Best Supporting Actress. Kevin Spacey is terrific as ever, while Russell Crowe shows that Gladiator wasn't his first muscles-with-a-heart role. But the real standout is probably Guy Pearce in a career-making performance as the one officer determined to what is right and just, regardless of the potentially disastrous consequences for him. However, LA Confidential is a true ensemble piece, and everybody holds their own among the starry cast. Few will have made many better films, before or since.

Curtis Hanson directs in a career-defining role, the sweeping direction echoing the sprawling nature of both the story and the city. The story is a slow-burner, gradually unraveling all the twists, but instead of clearing up the mystery, the waters become muddier as the trio of officers are forced to work together. Hanson masterfully commands the James Ellroy's source material, weaving it into a gripping multi-layered tale. The characters are extremely well developed, all three-dimensional, with no clear-cut heroes and villains. White (Crowe) in particular is the classic film noir anti-hero, the violent cop with a heart-breaking story, thinking with his muscles rather than his brain. LA Confidential is a classic 50s noir film told for the 90s, and keeps you guessing right up to the final scene as to how high the corruption goes. The two-hour running time is never felt.

A superb thriller and the perfect antidote to the rash of mindless action-comedies that frequently come out of Hollywood today, LA Confidential harks back to how film-making used to be – all about telling a story. And what a story it is. One of, if not the best film of the 90s.

***** Best Film of the 90s

[Bil-3 · 10/10 · 17 February 2000]

Hands-down my favourite American film of the nineties. Curtis Hanson shocked the world by proving to be not only a great director but an auteur with this unbeatable adaptation of James Ellroy's terrifying novel about corruption and crime among members of the LAPD in the 1950s. The hard-boiled detective story angle is brought to life so beautifully, mostly because Jeannine Claudia Oppewall's production design recreates the dark underside of the 50s to such perfection that not even a Coke bottle label is missed. Add to that Dante Spinotti's stunning lighting that rides the fine line between artistic and believable comfortably (as all period camerawork should), Ruth Myers' costume designing and a script by Hanson and The Postman scribe Brian Helgeland (I know, I don't get it either) that pares down Ellroy's mammoth plot about a multiple murder in a local diner involving a policeman with suspicious ties without sacrificing the density of the story or the spiderweb of events involved with it, and you have the best movie of 1997, not to mention the most fascinating detective film ever made since Orson Welles' Touch of Evil. The cast is all brilliant, most notably Kim Basinger as a wordly prostitute who has not only a heart of gold but a mind of steel--Basinger is so strong in her character's every nuance you'll find yourself forgetting she's even acting--and Kevin Spacey as a Dean Martin-esque detective who not only solves an important part of the puzzle, he even discovers he possesses a soul beneath his flashy suits. I just can't get enough of this film.

L.A Confidential

[auuwws · 8/10 · 19 November 2020]

A wonderful movie and the performance of most of the actors was excellent and the development of Ed Exly's character was excellent and the ending was good. I did not expect the death of jack. The film discussed the issue of corruption among the police officers in an excellent way and the directing was very good and the writing was good, but at the end of the film I felt very bored

An exemplary piece of filmmaking

[Leofwine_draca · 10/10 · 20 August 2012]

What's not to love about L. A. CONFIDENTIAL, the 1997 Oscar-winning detective story about the sleazy side of seemingly glamorous '50s-era Los Angeles? It boasts an outstanding screenplay adapted from the James Ellroy novel, excellent direction from old hand Curtis Hanson, and truly tremendous performances from the entire cast.

The film itself is a dense narrative mixing together multiple strands: drugs, prostitution, murder, sleaze, the media, and a massacre. Despite the lengthy running time, this film never sits still and it keeps on grabbing you and propelling you forwards until the credits finally hit. It's an exhausting, exhaustive look at its subject matter and I loved every hard-boiled second of it. The ten-minute segment that takes place around the hour mark, where the plot initially appears to have resolved itself neatly, is a mark of genius.

When I think fondly of L. A. CONFIDENTIAL, though, I think mainly of the acting. Guy Pearce, sheer excellence as the by-the-book rookie, leading us through the film with a charming mannered performance. Just why hasn't he made the A-list in Hollywood after his turn here? Then there's Russell Crowe, bringing a simmering vitality to his role that's been missing ever since. Crowe is a scene stealer, and that's a difficult job when you also throw in a career-best Kevin Spacey into the mix. Kim Basinger bagged the Oscar, but Pearce, Crowe and Spacey all deserved one, too.

Throw in a fine supporting cast (particularly James Cromwell and Danny DeVito), top-dollar production design, oodles of violence, moments of warmth and humour amid the carnage and you have one of the best mystery films ever made. Yes, L. A. CONFIDENTIAL really is that good!

a masterpiece in every respect

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 30 September 2005]

I can always remember "L.A. Confidential" as the first gritty-noirish-seedy movie that I ever saw in the theaters. And it makes me proud that this was the first one that I saw. We all can assume that movies about the inner workings of the police world are going to be gritty-noirish-seedy, but overall, it doesn't do "L.A. Confidential" justice to only classify it that way. Curtis Hanson created an INDESCRIBIBLY great movie here.

It's 1950s Los Angeles. Tabloid writer Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) likes to advertise the City of Angels as paradise on Earth, where you can raise an all-American family, meet a movie star, or even become one. But before too long, we get to see the police department. Officers Bud White (Russell Crowe), Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) are the main characters. White is the type who loves to help damsels in distress, but even he has his weak points; squeaky-clean Exley is the son of a cop, carrying on his father's work; and Vincennes mainly likes his job because of all the places that he gets to visit.

Following a murder one day, it's up to the three officers to investigate. But what they eventually uncover pales in comparison to what anyone would have expected. You see, some things extend farther than most people realize.

Kim Basinger won a well deserved Oscar for her role as sultry prostitute Lynn Bracken. A Veronica Lake lookalike, she's the type of woman who can lead you to new evidence...or might be planning something else.

I can't try to explain how good this movie is. Like "Chinatown", it shows the seedy underside of something usually assumed to be pure, but never gets too full of itself to the point of being silly. Why, oh why, did the Academy give "Titanic" Best Picture when "L.A. Confidential" was nominated?

3/4 of the movie is brilliant, but 1/4 of it almost breaks the entire film

[FairlyAnonymous · 7/10 · 11 July 2018]

I want to say that L.A. Confidential is a movie that I (somehow) had never heard of nor had any interest in seeing. I'm pretty sure I had seen the poster before, but that was all I knew of it. So even though I am reviewing this movie 20 years after its release, I have not had the plot spoiled to me (though I'm sure I've seen movie that were influenced by it). I'm going to try and avoid spending too much time on the positives of this film because I think there are some pretty glaring issues with this film that have gone unnoticed.

That being said, the vast majority of this film is a blast to watch. Most of the characters are very interesting, unique, and well thought out which was probably the most important aspect of the film to get right (next to the story). Exley was my personal favorite because you could tell he genuinely cared about justice and keeping the law in order. He wins his fights by being smarter than everyone else and this makes him an interesting character. The main mystery of the movie is a little incoherent at times, but it was still rather engaging for me and I was invested in seeing where it would go.

The strongest elements of this movie have to be the action and the character interaction. Almost all of the dialogue is sharp and entertaining to watch.

Now, onto the aspects of this film that I thought almost broke it:

Bud White... my goodness is this character hard to watch. Russel Crowe does a great job portraying him, so it is not the fault of the actor, but the character himself is insufferable. Granted, my view on this is probably different than those who saw this movie in the 90s because the whole political climate as of late is different, but this guy is just an awful "white knight". Essentially, he is a ball of murderous rage 24/7 and is constantly looking for an excuse to save women who don't need saving. Oh, there is a woman with several men, how about I go over there and beat them up and then figure out if there is an issue. What makes him even worse is that he breaks the law and even plants evidence/lies on multiple occasions just to satisfy himself. For example, why didn't he tell the woman that there was a dead body under he house? It turns out that his reason for being a murderous killing machine against anyone who mistreats women is because his mom was abused to the point of death and he had to watch. Great, that kind of makes sense, but it doesn't excuse him pulling guns on people, starting fights, and grabbing people's crotches to torture them.

Now, this is just one character, but unfortunately his "romantic subplot" is another big issue with this film.

The romance in this movie sucks. It just does. It doesn't feel natural and it is entirely forced. Bud White somehow falls in love with a prostitute, but it is never explained WHY they fall in love. For instance, the prostitute says really cliche stupid stuff like, "You're special" or "you're different" but the only thing different about him is that "he doesn't hide his emotions" which is an incredibly stupid line because she HAS NEVER INTERACTED WITH HIM OUTSIDE OF HER HOUSE (except for them going to the movie on an occasion). Their romance is so forced that I was legitimately surprised when they started to make out, because there was no build-up to it.

Fine, one bad romantic relationship, but this movie has TWO! WITH THE SAME GIRL!

Exley goes to the prostitutes house to investigate her because he thinks the relationship between her and Bud White is false and that she was paid off to do it... and then he rapes/has sex with her?!?!?! It's really confusing because he has been established to be the brains of the team and is vastly smarter than everyone else, yet when he is prying for information from someone who he think is manipulating them he then decides to have sex with that said person and assumes that he is not being manipulated... by a prostitute.

Really. A prostitute manipulating someone into sex? THAT IS LITERALLY THE FIRST THING THAT SHOULD COME INTO HIS MIND! What makes this plot point even worse is that it was a set-up and now Bud White tries to murder Exley in an attempt to get back at him for having sex with HIS prostitute (again, she is a prostitute. She is having sex with tons of people. Chillax). What makes things really odd is that the other cops in station don't seem to mind the fact that Bud White is murdering Exley? Someone walks into the room, Bud White pushes them out, and then no other cops investigate. Seriously?

Long story short, all of this was the bad guy's plan (who was quite obviously the bad guy from the moment we saw him, so it wasn't really a plot-twist). The final action sequence was fantastic and really well set-up, and it was nice to see Exley and Bud White work together instead of at each other's throats. While I did enjoy the villain, his plan was super contrived and required a myriad of coincidences to actually work. Again, it's just a movie, but it is a little troublesome.

The main theme of this movie seems to be that following the law completely doesn't always work but breaking the law constantly for the sake of justice isn't the best either. It's a compromise movie. However, the issue with this is that Exley pretty much got everything he wanted through brains and I don't think that he ever really needed Bud White... at all. I honestly can't think of a situation where Bud White's viciousness got him something that he couldn't have gotten himself. On the other end, I don't think Bud White ever learned to not be vicious. The only thing he possibly learned was to maybe not let his emotions get the best of him because he nearly killed Exley (and he hits the prostitute which makes him like his father), but then he goes back to being a psychopath right after that so I don't think he learned anything. This is a fairly big issue with the movie's message, because it doesn't really work. None of the characters (who are alive by the end of the movie) really change except for Exley, who allows more illegal activity to happen... yay?

While I think the vast majority of this film is great, I think the biggest issue this movie has is the character drama and the movie's message. The character drama feels so forced and fake that I almost stopped watching the movie because I realized that the established traits of the characters didn't ultimately matter. Anyone could break character to make the plot go in a certain direction, which then cuts out any real sense of tension.

Good movie, great acting, great action, okay mystery, bad drama, awful romance. That's my take on it, at least.

It's in the writing

[Pamsanalyst · 10/10 · 5 August 2005]

Reading the comments, I find few viewers seemed to have read James Ellroy's LA Trilogy, on which LA Confidential is based. The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential and White Jazz comprise the Dudley Smith story; Smith is the only constant in all three. None of the heroes are in Nowhere, Buzz Meeks being gunned down by Dudley while trying to escape, having hidden the heroin. Buzz White survives Confidential along with Exley, and White does go off to Arizona, but Smith still lives and rides high. In Jazz, Ed Exley~~Guy Pearce~~and Smith do battle for the soul of David Klein, who in the end brings down Smith. Of the three, Confidential is surely the most complicated since with the heroin out there somewhere, many more players are involved.

Hanson's genius is to shorten the story, eliminating Nowhere entirely, and bringing Dudley his retribution without Dave Klein being involved. He eliminates so many back stories: Exley's father is alive in the book, and a powerful politico to boot and this is just one difference, but in clarifying and making the story shorter, he almost makes it better. The murder of Vincennes is a brilliant touch, along with the code name Rollo Tomassi.

Both the books and the film are pulse pounders, intense to the core. My late wife, who could never sit through any film without getting up for a cigarette, was immobilized, and by the end was screaming "Kill him" as Exley watched Smith depart. If I had one slight criticism, it would be the cleaning up of some of the language about the original suspects in the Nite Owl killings, but make no mistake about it, this is the film for the 90's, and the only 1997 Oscar nominee worth watching. Hurrah for Curtis Hanson.

Hard-Boiled 50's Detective Drama a Tough but Relevant Watch Today

[MackMonMay87 · 7/10 · 22 August 2020]

LA Confidential oozes with the 50s style it's going for. Every aspect of the production from the costumes, the sets, cars, music, and dialogue is spot-on for the era, and in no way feels like actors from the 90s playing for a bygone time period.

This is a far superior, more historically honest production as opposed to movies like 2013's "Gangster Squad" that had a racially diverse, politically correct depiction of a similar era, or the revisionist history remake of The Magnificent Seven (to go further back). The racism, sexism, and bigotry of the 50s are on full display in LA Confidential, and the film isn't even always apologetic about it. Your mileage may vary on how much the depiction of this kind of content affects you. As time goes on, the American public seems to be more and more aware on average of police corruption, racial profiling, and unnecessary violence used by police departments, so a movie like LA Confidential, where these elements are shown as a harsh reality of the time period (not that they don't happen today) and a reality of police procedure, might be hard to watch. I was impressed that the movie was so honest about this content, it's more or less always been a part of the police system, even when criminals are successfully dealt with. The politics and power-plays shown in police departments are what elevates this over a typical shoot 'em up thriller. The entire cast is excellent, especially vintage Russell Crowe in his prime, even pre-Gladiator, who's an ass-kicking force of nature as hard nosed detective Bud White. LA Confidential impressed me a lot, but it's held back by some scenes that stretch what's an otherwise very believable setting and premise. *Spoilers ahead*

The scene where Guy Pearce and Russel Crowe's characters threaten and assault a sitting District Attorney to get information on the corruption case is over the top. There's dozens of witnesses on the street who can see he's being dangled above a sidewalk. Whether or not he confessed to collusion, he could always say his confession was given under duress, Exley and White would've never made it a step further in their investigation after that. Also, in the shootout at the end, White gets shot at least twice, maybe three times in the body, and once in the jaw, and is shown several scenes later alive and relatively well. He would have a tough time surviving that if that happened today, much less with the medical technology available then.

Despite a few scenes that stretch beliveability in its otherwise gritty, down to Earth setting, LA Confidential is a solid watch for anyone who enjoys detective drama and action, dressed up in the glowing sheen of a vintage era of Hollywood history that gives refreshing contrast to the bloody, harsh underbelly of Los Angeles.

Mediocre Neo-noir

[ThomasColquith · 5/10 · 14 April 2023]

"L. A. Confidential" is another overrated Oscar-winning film which is currently #115 on IMDB's top 250 list for some unknown reason, probably because it is so self-referential to Hollywood. However this mediocre film is nowhere to be found on my own personal Top 250 list as it offers me nothing really new for the genre or any thought-provoking ideas. Though "Mulholland Falls" (the prior year's film which "L. A. Confidential" tries to ineffectively copy or spoof) is on my list at spot #125. "Mulholland Falls" is a much better film and I would recommend it instead; I know that's not the consensus but that is my belief. All I could think the whole time I was watching "L. A. Confidential" is why aren't I just watching "Mulholland Falls", why bother with a cheap imitation. While "L. A." is well made technically, it lacks heart and depth and feels like it's too invested in spoofing or winking at Hollywood and L. A. I also didn't care much for the music, storyline, or characters. I rate it a pedestrian 5/10.