Category Archives: Detective

1989, Detective, Not Feel Good, Redemption, Revenge, Violent

Johnny Handsome (1989)

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From NetFlix:

When a heist goes wrong, gangster John Sedley’s (Mickey Rourke) best friend is killed, leaving him alone to take the blame for the crime. But the disfigured crook gets a second chance at life after receiving a brand-new face from a prison surgeon. Ellen Barkin, Elizabeth McGovern, Forest Whitaker and Morgan Freeman co-star in this gritty action drama about one man’s hunger for revenge against those who wronged him.

“The Wrestler” has generated so much noise that I wanted to see a film with Mickey Rourke. First I tried “Rumble Fish (1983)” but did not even want to finish watching it. Rourke seemed to be one of those actors who act by not acting (i.e. he keeps his face still and you credit him, rightly or wrongly, with feeling certain emotions). But I tried again with “Johnny Handsome (1989)” and this 20-year old movie shows the actor in a better light. It’s one of those movies that you want to end in a certain way but you just have to ride it out to see what really happens. No more hints. So far for me Rourke is not a great actor.

Violent, not for children.

2003, Could Be Hard To Watch, Detective, Revenge, Violent

Mystic River (2003)

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From NetFlix:

Three childhood friends, Sean (Kevin Bacon), Dave (Tim Robbins)
and Jimmy (Sean Penn) are reunited in Boston 25 years later when
they are linked together in the murder investigation of Jimmy’s
daughter. This taut thriller from director Clint Eastwood won
two acting Oscars (for Robbins and Penn) and was nominated for
several more in its exploration of human behavior when faced
with pain just beneath the surface, justified rage and scars
that never heal.

Set and filmed in Boston, this recreation of Dennis Lehane’s novel (which is a really good read) met with great success. It is a dark plot complete with child abuse, murder, and revenge. Sean Penn becomes the character completely. I think it was this film that first made me appreciate Marcia Gay Harden. Do not expect this “don’t miss it” film to end happily.

1997, Detective, TV Series

Midsomer Murders (from 1997)

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From Net Flix:

“Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) can’t
help but notice that more people than ever before seem
interested in the work of long-dead composer Joan Alder,
who wrote the well-known song ‘Midsomer Rhapsody.’ First,
Alder’s former music teacher turns up dead, and an early
draft of her most famous piece is found among his
possessions. But the plot thickens when Alder’s
long-lost daughter, Sarah, comes back into town.

Thanks to Nora for suggesting this series. Unfortunately for Kathy and for
me there are no subtitles. We have trouble understanding the male actors.
NetFlix claims to have 300 different Midsomer Murders. I stopped counting
at 30 installments. Kathy and I prefer the “Touch of Frost” series if only
because it offers subtitles.

2007, Detective, Not Feel Good, Suspense, Violent

We Own the Night (2007)

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From NetFlix:

Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) manages El Caribe, a hot New York City nightclub, while estranged brother Joseph (Mark Wahlberg) has followed in their policeman father’s (Robert Duvall) footsteps. The two are reunited by dealings with the Russian mafia, which has a foothold in Bobby’s business. As Joseph puts pressure on the mob, its members turn the screws on Bobby. Eva Mendes and Tony Musante co-star in writer-director James Gray’s action-drama.

More than the above I will not write, because the plot has some original developments. Joaquin Phoenix once again does not disappoint. Similarly Eva Mendes, Mark Wahlberg, and Robert Duvall do a great job. The movie is violent but not especially so. More important are the personalities and how they change, some for better, some for sadder.

By the way, if you have not seen Joaquin Phoenix in “Walk the Line” (a movie for everyone), don’t miss it!

“We Own the Night” tells a great story!

1985, Car Chase, Detective

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

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From NetFlix:

After ace counterfeiter Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe) murders the partner of Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen), the gumshoe will stop at nothing to even the score. Big problem, though: Masters is, well, a master at the game and outfoxes Chance at every turn. Can Chance outwit him? William Friedkin directs this suspenseful, violent thriller with the City of Angels (a misnomer in this case) as the alluring backdrop.

I have a special corner of my heart for movies with good car chases (is that an oxymoron ?). Some notes on the film:

o This movie was made 23 years ago and offers a car driving on the wrong side of a highway. I thought that gimmick was recent, hah!

o William Petersen of CSI fame is really young in this film.

o His sidekick John Pankow was the crazy brother in the TV series “Mad About You”.

o There are good plot surprises.

o This is only a B-movie.

Please send me names of really good car-chase movies.

1001BeforeDie, 2006, Detective, Violent

The Departed (2006)

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From NetFlix:

To take down South Boston’s Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise in Martin Scorsese’s multiple Oscar-winning crime thriller, including Best Director and Best Picture. While an undercover cop (Leonardo DiCaprio) curries favor with the mob kingpin (Jack Nicholson), a career criminal (Matt Damon) rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there’s a mole among them.

“1001 Films to See Before You Die” praises Scorsese for successfully adapting a successful Hong Kong action film “Infernal Affairs” and its two sequels to the Boston Irish-American culture. For this film Mark Wahlberg was nominated for “best actor in supporting role”. Needless to say it is violent and not for children.

1001BeforeDie, 2001, Detective, Explicit sex, Feel Good Not For Children, Redemption

Lantana (2001)

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From NetFlix:

Love, sex and deception rule the day in this psychological drama from director Ray Lawrence. Detective Leon Zat (Anthony LaPaglia) dives headlong into a missing-persons investigation just as he’s grappling with guilt about his extramarital affair. His case crisscrosses the lives of four couples, all of which have secrets — including Leon’s wife, Sonja (Kerry Armstrong), and her secret psychiatrist, Dr. Sommers (Barbara Hershey).

“1001 Films To See Before You Die” points out that this film is very Australian in tone and deed. In fact the actors are Australian. It was the first time we had ever seen Anthony LaPaglia (now appearing in the TV series “Without a Trace”) who is at the center of the film. He was born in Adelaid, South Australia.

The film is a “Crash” film, meaning that many plot threads interweave just as “lantana” is an Australian creeper bush with flowers on top but a mass of sharp, nasty branches underneath.

One detail that I always remember is that LaPaglia has stolen a tape recording of one of his wife’s psychiatry sessions in which the therapist asks her if she loves her husband. He is so guilty about having an affair that he cannot bring himself to listen to the answer. You will have to see the film to hear the answer.

1000NYTimes, 1001BeforeDie, 2000, Could Be Hard To Watch, Detective, Drugs, Explicit sex, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Traffic (2000)

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From NetFlix:

In three interwoven vignettes, Traffic offers disturbing snapshots of America’s drug war. Drug czar Michael Douglas sees his life turned upside down when the drug problem hits home, while Tijuana cop Benicio Del Toro tries to keep his hands clean — and stay alive. Meanwhile, Drug Enforcement Agency operatives arrest a major dealer, forcing his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) to take over the family business.

Recommended both by “1001 Films to See Before You Die” and “NY Times 1000 Best”, this film is in the “Crash” tradition of many separate interrelated plot threads. As such, the film can be confusing.

Besides violence (e.g. torture) there is much ugliness (e.g. The U.S. drug czar finally tracks down his cocaine-addicted daughter as she is prostituting herself to an old man in order to get drug money). Another main theme is governmental corruption. This film, which won 4 oscars, is not an easy watch.