Watching this movie, you can't help but wonder how far from the truth the events you're watch really are..? After watching it, I undertook some google couch investigation into some of the names and events. Having been in my late teens during the Tupac/Biggy shootings I was pretty familiar with the happenings and headlines at the time and this movie is pretty much true to form in timeline, events, and players. It is a shame that it was shelved. Deserves better...
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jamesvass-6231625 January 2021
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lavatch25 April 2021In the tradition of "Chinatown," the film "City of Lies" explores the labyrinthine world of corruption within the Los Angeles police department.
The filmmakers developed a skillful use of flashbacks to tell the story of the death of Biggie Smalls and the relentless investigation of a decent detective named Russell Poole. Johnny Depp is good as the detective who becomes obsessed with the case and uncovers the cover-up of on the part of high officials of the LAPD.
Poole partners with investigative journalist Jack Jackson played by Forrest Whitaker. The team of Poole and Jackson discover the key players within the police department that were linked to the murder of Biggie (Christopher Wallace). The cast was an extremely effective ensemble.
One of the best scenes in the film is a meeting in a restaurant with Poole, Jackson, and Biggie's mother. It is clear to all three characters that the degree of corruption at LAPD have not changed since the corrupt world depicted in "Chinatown" nearly a century ago. -
saadanathan9 July 2020"City Of Lies" is a great movie. I loved it's complexity and how it feels like an investigation. How every moment of the film, the viewers are like investigators, looking at the crime scene and figuring out what happened, closing ties around the theories and rumors of what happened. The curious case of the murder of The Notorious B.I.G and Tupac Shakur are among the most complicated and well known cases in the U.S of unclosed business. It is very interesting to see people's point of view around the murders and see how the investigation went wrong. Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker are among the best actors alive and their chemistry on screen is remarkable. They have great dialogue and moments. Though this movie won't give an answer over what happened to both rappers. It is a good movie that examines the cases and gives a lot of information.
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clfigueroa14 August 2019I never write reviews but this movie had heart and soul behind it. Well acted and very detailed. Politics and ties to real life people are why I believe it was shelved and not given the proper release it deserved. It could have been a little better but it's heart was in the right place.
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skelepiet9 February 2020This Movie had some impact on me. The Movie actually mainly accounts to the Death of Notorious B.I.G.
Harsh in realism, but full of passion by 2 great actors.
Harsh from the beginning , to imagine LAPD Cops acting like Straight Up Ballers.
I know Depp and Whitaker could have done better, but still I give their Passion as actors a 10, I see in this Movie, they where both affected by this never solved (hi)story. The Movie can feel slow, but it's merely to show how this Detective got caught up in this corrupted murder puzzle. Also great acting from Shea Whigham ! Definitely...a Must See! -
jimmyjoe58324 June 2019I wasn't expecting much going in. Both Leads are on the downward arc of their careers and both have made some turkeys in their days. Not the case in this movie, Johnny Depp is very good as a retired detective who has all the answers but no ability to get things done and Forest Whitaker as the reporter whose star has faded. The two leads play off each other very well and Whitaker complements Depp whose character just might be unstable. Depp is the lead character and Whitaker is definitely the consummate supporting actor. This is a murder mystery with intrigue about the Biggie Smalls murder. I know very little about rap and was engrossed with story of corruption and the toll that the search for the truth has exacted on the two male leads. A entertaining film with a above average performance from Depp.
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jaoneal15 June 2019I must admit, what intrigued me about this movie was less the subject matter (I'm neither a big fan of rap nor conspiracy theories) but rather the fact that it was shelved after production. It just isn't that common for a big budget movie featuring A-list actors to get completely shelved--particularly in this day when Netflix and Amazon are always a way for studios to recoup production costs on movies they don't think will earn a profit. One had to wonder whether the movie was just a complete train wreck in terms of quality, or whether the content was just too controversial for the studios involved.
So I was eager to see for myself. Having seen it, it was a little disappointing in that it is neither a train wreck furthering nails into the coffin of Johnny Depp's disappearing career, nor was it particularly explosive in terms of content. It was a little above just "OK" (5.5 is a little more accurate than the 6 stars I ended up giving it). In terms of quality, it is reminiscent of Zodiac, but lacked the pathos that Fincher was able to imbue to characters who similarly couldn't put an unsolved murder behind them. In terms of content, Lt. Poole's story has been out there for quite some time and this adds nothing new.
The first half of the movie involves Depp and Whitaker reminiscing about the facts of the Christopher 'Biggie' Smalls murder case, which are related in a series of flashback scenes to 16 years earlier. This part of the movie is successful and engrossing.
Unfortunately the 2nd half of the movie really stalls out, as one can't help but wonder what the two main characters have been doing over the past 15 years. Why are they still obsessed? What leads have they been trying to turn up? What compulsions are driving them?
Rather than explore this, the movie spends too long on a seemingly pointless side-plot about Poole's estrangement from his son and some minor troubles the reporter has with his boss and the police, some 16 years after the facts of the case.
The finale is as unsatisfying as the actual investigation in the murder.
Again, the movie is OK, with the first half being engrossing and educational. But much like the actual case, it faltered in follow-up and resolution. Ultimately viewing it gave me no insight on why it was shelved. Everything about this affair seems like it deserved a better fate than it has received. -
RJBrez22 March 2021City of Lies has two great performances by Jonny Depp and Forest Whitaker, and solid performances by the supporting cast. The story mainly uses flashbacks to tell the story of Russel Poole's investigation into the murder of Notorious BIG.
I loved it. It also makes me mad that this movie was shelved and buried for several years because of Depp's personal problems. So many countless others work on these projects. Usually for much longer than the actual cast, and what ? Their work doesn't matter because of one man's issues? Movie studios continue to disappoint me with their motivations lately.
City of Lies very convincingly tells a story of the LAPD and the great lengths they have went to coverup the involvement some of their officers had in the death of Wallace. Not only his death, but these guys were straight up mob/gangsters. But just like every other issue in this country, it comes down to money and power. The most atrocious thing? The LAPD to this day classifies Wallace's murder as "an open investigation" to prevent them from having to answer questions and to avoid a lawsuit from his mother.
How anyone can trust the LAPD, our government, or anyone else with absolute power is beyond me. No one has a chance against them. It makes you realize how much of a joke our country really is. And if you want to think. Well someone would report all this, someone will tell the truth. Forest Whitaker's character pointed it out toward the end of the movie. His own boss was in the pocket of the top brass of the LAPD. The media is just as corrupt as the institutions it claims it's trying to hold accountable. F it all.
I had hoped by now that the families of the victims of this story would have some closure, but it's highly unlikely to ever happen. -
lucas_mrz20 April 2021I came across this movie by chance while searching for something to watch. I wasn't expecting much, given the rating, but I got pleasantly surprised.
This is a solid movie, with great acting and an interesting and engaging story. I'm not from the US and I'm not really into rap, so I can't speak for the accuracy from a historical standpoint. But it was very entertaining. More like a 7.5 in my opinion. So if you had any doubts, watch it, you won't regret it. -
butskhrikidze13 February 2019Movie intrested me from first minutes, it consistently provided new information and overall was well-made. decent directing, decent acting and intresting story.
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abhisheksaha-61910 June 2020This is a gripping crime thriller about corruption in LAPD. Johnny Depp gave an exceptional performance here after Black Mass. Forest Whitaker did well too. It has shades of JFK movie, but couldn't achieve that greatness. This movie should have been released, it's a shame that it got stuck due to controversy. More people should watch this movie.
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grantss21 May 20211997. LAPD Detective Russell Poole investigates a case of an undercover cop killing another cop. This draws him into the Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur murders. What he uncovers is huge, so much so, that the closer he gets to the truth, the more his superiors try to prevent him from getting to it.
A reasonably interesting and intriguing attempt to explain the Biggie Smalls and Tupak Shakur murders. A decent conspiracy theory that is at times incredibly believable and compelling.
However, that's all it is: the story of a cop with a theory (and, admittedly, a fair amount of evidence to back it up). There's no great comeuppance, no great conclusion: it all just fizzles out. A bit of a damp squib in the end.
Ultimately it is disappointing and unsatisfying: you're given hope that there would be a powerful ending and these hopes are dashed. -
maevezmer16 June 2021Once again Johnny Depo delivers a fantastic performance the storyline was compelling with so many twists in the plot it was heart wrenching to watch as his fell apart around him and he was in tatters when the new reporter came forward it gave him a renewed sense of purpose and together they finally found hope for uncovering the truth. They end was so tragic I cried for an hour after watching it t.
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"City Of Lies" showcases fantastic acting chops from duo Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker, but as much as this true story is intriguing it falls flat at times.
In this crime drama based on a true story, two men investigate the murders of rappers Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.
Overall a great story and script, but "City Of Lies" seems to steer in the wrong direction and just as it's about to become great, it backs away. I wanted more, but thankfully the committed lead performances from Depp and Whitaker are what stand true in this film and make it worth a watch. -
lukavukorepa-8829227 December 2021This, by any means, is not a 10/10 movie, but these imdb reviews, and these metacritic reviews, they all got this one thru the dirt. I don't know what's up whit Depp's movies being bashed on so hard. I know this is not a cinematic masterpiece, I know the story could be told in a more compelling and interesting way, but it is just not that bad. Framing and cinematography was pretty good, story moved in a adequate pace and performances were more than decent. I have a few problems, ofcourse, first being: Forest Whitaker's character is so unimportant here, so irrelevant to the story, he is a mere puppet to make Depp speak about the case. Also, let's adress the elephant in the room, the ending was unsatisfactory as it can be... But if you know the story you don't expect anything else, also it is a true story - you can't be mad at it. You can argue that in that case it is a wrong biopic to choose for a film, taking that loose end into account, but I beg to differ. Film showed us some interesting facts, small details, gave us a story as it is in reality; and I love it for it. It is under-two-hours movie that seems like acted out documentary (which, in this case, is a good thing). And that is where I'd like to leave my review. I think it is a good watch that inspires one's own research.
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elect_michael26 November 20217 of 10 stars. Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker star in this Film, and they don't disappoint. They are both Legendary Actors, and we've all seen Films where they try to bring in talent to save a bad Film; this is not the case, this Film is Extremely Good, the Film would've been fairly good even without them, but they certainly raise it to extremely good with their very good performances.
Brad Furman Directed the Film and does fine, which shouldn't be surprising as he is a good and capable Director who has Directed 3 or 4 Films before this Film, including good Films like The Infiltrator (2016), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) & The Take (2007); add this Film to his good Film list.
Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker have starred in so many good Films during their great career's, I couldn't possibly list them all. They are both incredible Actor's. I'll choose 1 of the 2 to keep it short, and just a Top 10; I'll do Forest Whitaker...actually I'll do Johnny Depp. If I polled 100 of the most respected Film Historians, they would all have a slightly different order, but I believe this would be their Top 10 Films starring Johnny Depp after a consensus; and I believe they would say his Top 8 on this list are all Masterpieces: 1. Edward Scissorhands (1990) 2. Donnie Brasco (1997) 3. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) 4. Ed Wood (1994) 5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007) 6. Arizona Dream (1993) 7. Finding Neverland (2004) 8. Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003) 9. Dead Man (1995) 10. Benny & Joon (1993) -
albertval-695605 August 2022This is a heart-tugging film. Will the 1997 murder of Biggy Small be ever resolved? The viewer completely identifies with the utter exasperation of Russel Poole who sacrificed his career and even his family to be able to uncover the truth. He never gave up. (His house, even after he resigned from the force, was a veritable war room replete with all the photos about the murder and possible suspects). But it was a time where the LAPD didn't want to ferret out the truth. The establishment debunked Poole's theory about the killer and mastermind of the murder, and hindered his investigation.
The interaction between Poole and journalist Darius Jackson onscreen is admirable (although Jackson is a fictional character). After all, they were in search of the elusive truth.
The story is well-structured and gives the viewer a clear picture of the murder and its aftermath for Poole and for Jackson.
This feature film is a much better vehicle than if a documentary were to have been made in its place. -
meikemarxen8 March 2021I won´t go into details of the plot, since it can be found in the description of the movie. Whitaker is outstanding in this movie imo. His natural performance and presence gives life and authenticity to the character of journalist Jack Jackson. Johnny Depp is a surprise. Playing the aging retired police officer Russell Poole, his performance is well balanced, reduced and dedicated to capture the truth of Poole´s ambition and motivation. Whitaker and Depp harmonize, and it shows in the dialogues between Jackson and Poole. Two outstanding actors in an ambitioned movie about a timeless subject: finding truth in a swamp of lies.
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mars-9455820 December 2019A popular story .... A fascinating subject ... but an extremely awful directing ... A very bad film framing ... and a broken script ...
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Nothing that hasn't been said about these cases before. I thought the acting was pretty average. The case is interesting but the movie isn't.
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Loved this movie from beginning to end. It gives us an insight into the corruption that exists within large organizations & bureaucracies that are more concerned in preserving their reputations with the media and public than conducting proper internal housekeepings. If anyone within the organization speaks up or tries to expose the corruption, they are immediately ostracized, smeared, and forced to resign if not outright fired. In short, they are permanently ruined. Strong performances by Depp & Whitaker and the fact this movie was "shelved" for 3 years before its release makes me wonder who drove that decision and why. Chances are it was going to embarrass some folks. Lastly, the Tupac & Biggie murders remain unsolved to this day, so before anyone starts talking "conspiracy theory" it might be a good idea to think contextually especially knowing what's happening in our country right now. Grade: A.
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adam-leemartin4 September 2019This was a film was well-paced with a lot of mystery, suspense and very good acting from both Depp and Whitaker (they are very talented actors... especially Whitaker) and provides interesting insight into the corruption of the Los Angeles Police Department during the period in question, specifically because it sticks close enough to the facts that a very educated person on the subject of these two assassinations (though, the murder of Biggie Smalls is the primary focus of this film) would have a hard time determining when and where the film made use of its artistic licence. However, despite the film's apparent adherence to the facts of the case, it is those facts that call the film into question.
Whitaker plays the role of the journalist who, years earlier, reported that Biggie Smalls payed for the hit on Tupac Shakur by Southside Crips. This theory was maligned at the time and in this film for the simple fact that the story told was one of Biggie Smalls sneaking into Vegas and checking into one of the more prominent hotels on the strip undetected, to oversee the assassination of Tupac from a nearby location. It always seemed fanciful that Biggie Smalls would have gone to Vegas to organise the assassination of Tupac Shakur from a luxury hotel and, moreover, that he would have been able to do so undetected. However, the source of the information about the assassination itself was members of the Southside Crips.
So fanciful was the idea that Biggie Smalls would visit Vegas to oversee the assassins at work that it discredited the idea of Biggie and Combs involvement in the assassination of Tupac Shakur, despite the fact that Tupac had become a literal mortal enemy of Biggie and Combs after being shot five times at Quad studios in New York City... to such an extent that Marion "Suge" Knight, the owner of Death Row Records and the man who, at great cost, bailed Tupac Shakur out of jail in exchange for a three album deal with his label, was himself suspected by many (admittedly, not in the know) of plotting the murder of his close friend and most valuable asset and, extraordinarily, that he planned to have the hit take place when he was directly in the line of fire, sustaining injuries to his head and chest in the process.
Thus, the fanciful detail of Biggie Smalls travelling to Vegas to organize the hit on Tupac served the purpose of obscuring and re-directing the independent (i.e non-law enforcement) investigators into Tupac's murder in the even more fanciful direction of "Suge" Knight. (A story that was also generated by Southside Crips.)
Unfortunately, this film seeks to achieve the same end; misdirecting attention from Biggie Smalls and Bad Boy Records towards Death Row Records and "Suge" Knight in the murder of Tupac Shakur.
Despite the fact that this is overtly a film about the murder of Biggie Smalls, the facts surrounding the case ensure that the presence of Tupac looms large. (A common feature of the relationship between Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur was the outsized abilities, talents and accomplishments of the latter over the former.)
Reality is what undermines the film more than anything. What pervades the film is the notion that the alleged involvement of Biggie Smalls murder in Tupac Shakur's death is an ugly smear... but this is not so. The film draws attention to the outlandish claim of Biggie's presence in Vegas as a means of attempting to discredit the notion of Biggie's involvement outright. But anyone who knows anything about such crimes knows that the last place Biggie Smalls would want to be if he planned the murder of Tupac Shakur is at/near the scene of the crime. Obviously, his absence does not preclude his involvement (though this is exactly what is being suggested) and facts that have only recently emerged serve to legitimise the claims of the article the the film so maligns... as do the rapper's own words.
What makes the maligning of the article the pointed the finger at Biggie Smalls even more absurd is that the apology the fictional writer of that very real article apologises to the actual mother of Biggie Smalls for maligning him as a murderer... because it is the tireless endeavours of Biggie's mother (Voletta Wallace) that did the most to implicate her son in the murder itself.
It was her lawsuit that forced the Los Angeles police to effectively re-open the case into her son's death and (providing further evidence of the LAPD's corruption) only insofar as they sought to generate enough evidence to clear the department of involvement in Biggie's murder according to the civil (not criminal) standard of proof.
In the process, the truth (insomuch as it can be) surrounding the two murders was obtained. The substance of the article that the film maligns turns out to have been true all along.
Was Biggie in Vegas? It's highly unlikely. (Biggie's crew claimed long ago to have paperwork proving that he was in a recording studio in New York but that material appears to have never been brought forth and wouldn't constitute proof even if it was... such records can always be forged.)
But did Sean Combs (owner of Bad Boy Records and close friend of Biggie Smalls, his label mate and boss) put a million-dollar hit out on Tupac Shakur and "Suge" Knight with the Southside Crips? Yes. Keefe D, the sole surviving member of the hit squad, confirmed this. He was in the car the drove up alongside Tupac Shakur and "Suge" Knight and it was his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who fired the shots from the backseat of their rental car.
These admissions were made to the police in exchange for his freedom. If he had failed to cooperate, he would have gone to jail. If he lied, he would have gone to jail. So, his admission of involvement (already known to those close to the assassination) is highly likely to be substantively true. That he claims to have not been paid for the hit and that his fellow gang member got $500K for the partially-successful hit and made off with the money is to be treated with caution. His claim that he thought he saw Tupac reach for a gun are also unlikely to be true. (One of those reasons being, that no member of Tupac's entourage was ever identified by the police officers who obtained them was identified as being in possession of a firearm.) But, substantively, his claims are true and his claims implicate Sean Combs in the murder and, by association, implicate Biggie Smalls.
(I skirt over the assault on Orlando Anderson by Tupac and Mob Piru gang members hours prior to the shooting for the simple fact that the attack itself merely served as a casus belli, a cause for war. It was the act that provided the assassins impetus and justification for their crime as an act of retaliation but it was not the explicit cause of the crime. The million dollar reward was and, given the money on offer from Bad Boy and Combs, it is very possible (if not probable) that, by effectively presenting himself in front of Mob Piru gang members, Death Row employees and Tupac, his was a deliberately provocative act designed to draw and attack to provide his fellow gang members with the incentive to carry out the hit, that the Crips had yet to actively pursue, then and there.)
Would Sean Combs have put a hit out on Tupac Shakur without consulting with Biggie? Highly unlikely. Moreover, in light of recent revelations, we can now clearly see that Biggie Smalls implicated himself in the crime on record.
Look at the lyrics of Long Kiss Goodnight, a song recorded after Tupac's murder. (Harsher lyrics are known to have been written and recorded about Tupac by Biggie but have yet to see the light of day.)
Combs: "See... I told y'all motherf'ers."
Big: "That stupid n man."
Combs: "I told y'all to stop!" Big: "He f'd up, yo."
Combs: "I prayed for you to stop."...
Big: "N, please. Blood flood your dungarees." A reference to the dungarees Tupac used to wear.
Big: "Laugh now cry later, I rhyme greater." This is a reference to the tattoos on Tupac's back.
Big: "I ain't mad at cha." The title of Tupac's last single. The video for which sees Tupac shot dead in a drive-by and ascending to a heaven.
Big: "I'm flammin' gats, aimin' at, these f'n maniacs, put my name in raps, What part of the game is that?" A reference to Tupac's derogatory references to Big in his songs... Hit 'Em Up being the most provocative example of this.
Big: "You're bleedin' lovely, with your spirit above me, or beneath me, your whole life you lived sneaky, now you rest eternally, sleepy, you burn when you creep me, rest where the worms and the weak be."
Big: "Look what you made me do, brains blew, my team in the marine blue, six coupe... given long kisses, bitch."
Marine blue is an obvious reference to the same South-side Crips that are known to have killed Tupac. Blue is the color of the Crips; red for Bloods. This indicates quite clearly that Biggie had inside knowledge of who killed Tupac and why. He even says that the hit was carried out at his behest.
The chorus of the song is "Time for you to die, as I kiss your ass goodbye." The only way he could have done more to implicate himself would have been to offer up a confession at a local police station.
The inside knowledge he had of the crime, coupled with his bragging of his own involvement in it (criminals have a tendency to want to brag about the crimes they have been able to get away with... rap lyrics were taken much more seriously at that time by both object and subject than most people realize to this day) and the first-hand information we now have of Combs desire to see his rivals murdered at great personal cost to him clearly implicate him in the crime the film seeks to portray him as being entirely innocent of.
Thus, while I liked the film a lot, the entire premise of the film (that Biggie was unjustly maligned as a murderer) is terribly flawed. -
bombersflyup16 June 2019Finally a film about something, were my thoughts leading into the film. City of Lies just isn't what I was looking for.
It turned out to be a biographical re-telling about the detective on the case, at the present time. With a quality cast and topic, the viewpoint in real-time might have made for a decent film. Though in this documentary style it had to be about Tupac and Biggie for the majority, as we don't know these other people. -
Both the lead actors played the role superbly however, a lot of room for betterment. The focus on both the characters was way too much overshadowing the rest.
I mean, this is about the murder and cover-up of two most iconic rappers in American history leading a generation. The movie felt like an isolated segment not showing the overall influence of this instance on the nation. In other words, the picturization made it all look like a local small time case.
The ending again was disappointing and could've portrayed the legacy of the detective's work instead of ending on a not meaning, his life was worthless or was valued only by a few. -
rollernerd7 September 2020Welcome to another edition of Adam's Reviews!! **queue in intro music**
Today's movie review is a flick I admit has intrigued me - City Of Lies (2018). This movie was supposed to be released in September 2018, however it was shelved. The movie itself provides an intake on the question of who killed Christopher Wallace, also known by his rapper MC name Notorious B.I.G.
The movie starring Johnny Depp as the detective Russell Poole, was shelved due to legal rights and a legal dispute between the producers/production company and the LAPD
Obviously I was eager to see the movie and to be fair I wasn't disappointed. It is not a great movie overall and the performances were substantial.
To educate you movie goers Biggie Smalls was killed just a few months after Tupac Shakur, his former friend turned worst rival. Forest Whitaker co-stars as the journalist reporter Darius Jackson who exploits this coincidence by writing up a piece titled East vs West. Many years later he feels guilty was used for fame and glory. Knowing his wrongs he visits Poole and together go through the case and soon is introduced to Poole's theory.
So, what happened to Biggie? The movie explores this question through Poole's investigation which leads to a theory - that the real murderers were dirty police officers working with DeathRow records. An interesting theory which is controversial and provides an understanding why this movie was shelved.
Now to give you movie goers a heads-up - the murder is not solved in the movie, hence this is an ongoing murder case. It is more about obsession and frustration, which is portrayed by these two characters. The first half of the movie involves Depp and Whitaker going through the details of the murder case and reminiscing about the facts of who was involved and labels the major perpetrators. The second half failed to execute the hype and not diving into why these two characters were obsessed, what have they been doing the past 15 years and what is driving their obsessive compulsive behaviours?
Another angle that could have been taken is trying to prevent the seeds of corruption, violence and greed which continue to be found in the current generation in the Rap and Hip-Hop industry. Both the deaths of these rappers have echoed a lifetime of listeners
A great shout out to the screen appears Voletta Wallace, mother of rapper of Christopher Wallace and you can see her eternal struggle to uncover the truth about her son's death.
Overall the movie displays new ideas on unsolved cases however the directions could have been done wayyy better including to look into each individuals' background, how the case has affected them and focusing on the impact these murders has had not only to the major characters involved but to society, 6/10