Category Archives: Detective

2008, Black humor, Clever Plot, Comedy, Conspiracy, Crude Talk, Detective, Kidnapping, Revenge, Satire, Satirical ultra-violence, Vulgar

Nobel Son (2008)

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From NetFlix:

About to receive the Nobel Prize in chemistry, Prof. Eli Michaelson learns that kidnappers have snatched his son, a promising grad student. But when the captors demand a ransom — the $2 million Nobel Prize money — Eli refuses to cough up the cash.

Alan Rickman, when last seen, was an Englishman selling wine in Paris in the film Bottle Shock. In “Nobel Son” he personifies perfectly an egotistical, womanizing professor who has belittled his son Barkley (played by Bryan Greenberg who was Parker in “Friends with Benefits”) all his life. Shawn Hatosy (who plays Sammy Bryant in “Southland”) here plays Thaddeus James who engineers a kidnapping of Barkley. Bill Pullman and Mary Steenburgen round out the cast.

Black humor is the order of the day. Do NOT be put off by the initial scene in which someone cuts off a man’s thumb. Similar to films made by Quentin Tarantino, the violence, gore, explicit language are all purposely and satirically exaggerated. Cannibalism is actually a source of humor. What initially seems to be some gross violence usually turns out to be fake (except for poor Danny DeVito).

Take it all in a spirit of outrageous fun.

1997, British Mystery Series, Child abuse, Crime, Dark, Detective, Dysfunctional Lives, Gritty, Kidnapping, Murder Investigation, Not Feel Good, Violent

Trial & Retribution (1997)

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From NetFlix:

Crime story and police procedural folded in one, this series tracks murder cases as they wend from inquiry to trial, with detectives Michael Walker and Pat North leading the chase and split-screen shots vivifying the complex pursuit of justice.

Available from NetFlix either as DVDs. Only Set 1 can be streamed.

  • Set 1: 1997 4 discs
  • Set 2: 2001 4 discs
  • Set 3: 2005 3 discs
  • Set 4: 2007 3 discs
  • Set 5: 2008 2 discs
  • Set 6: 2008 2 discs

To see a list of the entire series as well as small plot summaries go to Wikipedia.

For Set 1 NetFlix offered this additional description:

David Hayman and Kate Buffery star as police detectives in the first season of this critically acclaimed British crime drama, in which each episode centers on a single case, from the investigation all the way through to the courtroom verdict. This program comprises the first four feature-length episodes of this suspenseful, emotionally charged series, which takes an unflinching look at the flawed processes behind society’s pursuit of justice.

Here the operative word is FLAWED! Even as a full story ends, you might not be so sure that the convicted person really was guilty. From my point of view that is irrelevant (and maddening) because it is the excellent and taut drama that entertains.

WARNING: Some of the crimes scenes are especially ugly. For example, the second full story features a sadistical cult leader who forces women to mutiliate themselves. That alone might prevent you from watching what is a well-written and very suspenseful story. In this second full story the ending is pitch perfect.

If you like British detective TV series, you will enjoy “Trial & Retribution”

2012, Clever Plot, Conspiracy, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Gay theme, Lawyers, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Plot Twist, Political Suspense, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, TV Series, Wonderful acting

Scandal (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Olivia Pope leads a team of Washington, D.C., lawyers who specialize in making scandals disappear. As they secretly handle crises at the highest levels of government, the dysfunctional team must also cope with problems closer to home.

Another TV series that can be streamed with NetFlix, “Scandal” is a fast-paced, well-written, well-acted page-turner that reminds me of the excellent House of Cards but in my opinion is better. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright carried “House of Cards” just as Tony Goldwyn (President Fitz Grant) and Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope) carry “Scandal”. Both series involve the politics in Washington D.C.

Season one is a series of episodes all related to one another. In addition to individual clients there is an ongoing story line involving Olivia Pope and President Fitz Grant. Along the way there are many plot twists that keep the story fresh and insistent. As you finish one episode you will be sorely tempted to immediately watch the next episode.

Emphasis throughout is on the interaction of personalities rather than details such as police procedurals. In fact, the acting is good and there are some very tender moments between people who love each other.

Season one ends satisfactorily with justice meted out to almost all the bad guys, but the ending also is a cliff hanger just crying for season two.

If you enjoyed “House of Cards” you will like “Scandal” even more. DO NOT MISS!

1980, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Crude Talk, Dark, Detective, Gay theme, Grim, Mostly About Sex, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Plot Twist, Psychological Drama, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Transvestite theme, Violent, Vulgar

Cruising (1980)

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From NetFlix:

After a serial killer brutally murders several gay men in New York’s S&M and leather districts, cop Steve Burns (Al Pacino) goes undercover on the streets, where he must learn the complex rules of the underground gay subculture if he’s to catch the psycho. Karen Allen co-stars as Burns’s girlfriend in this gritty 1980 thriller, which sparked protests from gay rights groups at the time of its release but has since developed a minor cult status.

“Lurid” is the first adjective that comes to mind. The Stonewall riots occurred in 1959. By 1980 the gay movement was strong enough to protest this film which depicts an aberrant side of gay culture. Indeed the strong gay protests are described in the Wikipedia article about the film.

Expect “grungy” scenes in this cult classic with a wonderfully ambiguous ending.

2012, Clever Plot, Complicated, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Finance, Lawyers, Marital Infidelity, Plot Twist, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Wonderful acting

Arbitrage (2012)

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From NetFlix:

As billionaire Robert Miller struggles to divest his empire before his fraud is brought to light, fate takes a nasty turn. Now desperate and running out of options, Miller turns to an unlikely source for help.

Richard Gere plays Robert Miller who has to be the coolest crook on the planet.

Call this well-written, well-acted film a suspense drama because throughout you will sitting on the edge of your seat wondering two things: Will our crooked hero get caught in his fraud and manslaughter and what lives will he ruin as he spins his web of deceit?

Pay attention as one development leads to another. Keep in mind what Miller espouses as his twisted philosophy: “The world is cold”.

Any hint of the ending would be a spoiler. But Susan Sarandon, who plays Miller’s wife, really comes through.

DON’T MISS THIS FINANCIAL THRILLER!

1997, Abduction, British Mystery Series, Car Chase, Could Be Hard To Watch, Crime, Detective, Disturbing Image, Eccentric Detective, Grim, Gritty, Kidnapping, Lawyers, Made For TV, Mental Illness, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Occasional gore, Prison, Psychological Thriller, Rape, Revenge, Sadism, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Torture, TV Series, Violent

Touching Evil (1997)

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From NetFlix:

After suffering head trauma from a shooting, moody, job-obsessed Detective Inspector Dave Creegan of the organized and serial crime unit heads off some of England’s most deviant and deadly offenders by creeping inside the criminal psyche.

Robson Green plays the DI Dave Creegan in this British detective TV series. His character is single-minded, isolated, and socially awkward. As is often the case in British detective shows, the crimes are usually violent and involve some ugly scenes. Indeed each episode develops side by side both Creegan’s personality difficulties as well as the crime du jour. You will not relax watching these plots but you will probably not be able to stop watching despite the suspense.

After he made this series, Robson Green then starred in Wire In The Blood in which he portrays the exact same personality, the only difference being that in this later series he ia cast as a free-lance psychologist specializing in the criminal mind.

Both “Touching Evil” and “Wire in the Blood” provide tense, suspenseful viewing that (providing your nerves hold up) you don’t want to miss.

1993, British Mystery Series, Detective, Explicit sexual discussion, Gritty, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Suspense, Violent

Cracker (1993)

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From NetFlix:

Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald smokes, drinks, gambles and cheats on his wife. He’s also a brilliant criminal psychologist, or “cracker.” When not evading his personal demons, he uses his particular genius to track down Manchester’s worst criminals.

Be prepared to intensely dislike the “cracker” Eddie Fitzgerald. Arrogant stubbornness is his chief characteristic. For example, despite the fact that gambling is one of his many faults which have contributed to his marriage problems, he defiantly refuses to stop gambling. At least half the story time revolves around his personal failings. What on earth does his wife see in him? Possibly she values his often very clever sarcastic comments.

Nonetheless, the mystery plots are well-written. Each full story requires several episodes. Kathy and I watch the series using NetFlix streaming in order to get subtitles. Unfortunately, the DVD versions do not carry subtitles. In fact, many offerings from NetFlix are subtitled only in the streaming version.

Not all stories are about serial killers. Today’s detective series seem more often than not to center around a serial killer. However, as usual, the stories are violent. If you want “non-violent” then try Pie in the Sky.

Acting is excellent and unusual. For example, the second full story has as its culprit a murderous couple in which the man is a stutterer who can only speak when he is furious (which is most of the time).

Different and well worth your time.

2002, Clever Plot, Detective, Murder Investigation, Small Town, Suspense, Violent

Insomnia (2002)

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From NetFlix:

Sent to investigate the murder of a teenage girl in a small Alaska town, police detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) accidentally shoots his partner, Hap (Martin Donovan), while trying to apprehend a suspect (Robin Williams). But in spite of his guilt, he’s still determined to solve the case. Hilary Swank co-stars as a local detective who hampers Dormer’s efforts based on her suspicions about the circumstances of Hap’s death.

Although the film starts out seeming very ordinary, it soon picks up with an intriguing and original plot. Both Al Pacino and Robin Williams have secrets to hide and how they scheme to use and ensnare each other is a well-planned scenario. Hillary Swank plays well as a new member of the force, one who admires almost reverently the older experienced Al Pacino. Al Pacino usually plays Al Pacino and to a certain extant that is still true here. But his portrayal of a trapped man who goes for something like 6 days without sleep is perfect. Robin Williams comes across as a somewhat eerie smooth talker.

Martin Donovan has one of those faces you know you have seen somewhere (Ezra Stone in the TV series “Boss”).

In addition to a well-crafted detective suspense film, the Alaskan scenery is breathtaking.

2002, Basically Sad, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Drugs, Gangs, Gloomy, Redemption, Revenge, Violent, Wonderful acting

25th Hour (2002)

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From NetFlix:

Monty Brogan has 24 hours to spend with his two best friends and his girlfriend before he’s sent to prison for seven years for dealing drugs. Spike Lee directs this meditative drama set in post-9/11 New York.

Edward Norton does it again! His portrayal of a drug dealer, Monty Brogan, facing a seven year black hole of almost certain prison sexual abuse is powerful, unflinching, sympathetic and pitch perfect. In fact, some good part of his open expressions of fear center around that sexual abuse, so much so that towards the end (no spoiler) he addresses that problem in a unique way. What was “sympathetic” in his presentation was his openly tearful regret for having taken such a wrong turn in his life, a decision that is next to impossible to correct.

He interacts meaningfully with:

  • Philip Seymour Hoffman as his friend Jacob Elinsky. Hoffman is perfect as a repressed man ashamed of his position as a trust-fund baby.
  • Barry Pepper is wonderful as his other best friend Frank Slaughtery who loves Monty but says that Monty ruined many lives with those drugs and deserves his punishment. He played Lucky Ned Pepper in True Grit.
  • Rosario Dawson played Monty’s girlfriend Naturelle Riviera. She played Connie in Unstoppable.
  • Brian Cox plays Monty’s father James Brogan. He was Argyle Wallace in “Braveheart”.

Because the plot, characters, and acting are all so good, I consider this film a

DO NOT MISS!

2002, British Mystery Series, Could Be Hard To Watch, Dark, Detective, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, FilmReview, Grim, Gritty, Murder Investigation, Occasional gore, Police Story, Sadism, Serial Killer, Stalker, Suspense, Torture, Transexual Theme, Violent

Wire in the Blood (2002)

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CHANGE OF STREAMING SOURCE:

Now you can stream 6 episodes NOT from Netflix but now from Acorn TV, which makes sense because Acorn TV shows only entertainment from the worldwide British empire.

The review below is still valid and a warning. However in Season 4 and forward, Herminone Norris is no longer in the episodes.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

From NetFlix:

This tense British crime series follows the work of Dr. Tony Hill (Robson Green), a psychologist with a peculiar talent for understanding how serial killers think and for using that knowledge to help law enforcement apprehend them. Partnered with a detective from the local police department’s Major Incident Team, Hill finds himself on the trail of killers ranging from vigilantes and snipers to rapist-murderers, twisted suicide cults and more.

Through NetFlix streaming or DVDs you can see this British detective TV series.

Some of the episodes are ugly. You might even want to skip the very first episode because it shows sadistic torture. Later episodes refer back only slightly to preceding episodes, but that is not important.

Why watch the series at all? With each British detective series that I watch I find that the stories are tensely engaging, well written, and well acted but also usually very grim and explicit. One exception that comes to mind is Pie in the Sky in which there is never a murder. Also the crimes in Midsomer Murders are never hard to watch.

Two actors carry the series:

  • Robson Green appears exclusively in (zillions of) British TV series. If you are a British TV fan you will recognize him immediately. His character, Dr. Tony Hill, seems a little too smart to be true.
  • Hermione Norris (DCI Carol Jordan) appeared in a great many episodes of MI-5.

You have been warned that certain scenes are brutal. Other than that, this is another great British detective TV series.