Street Kings is the latest (see below) of Los Angeles cop movies. You know, the type of movie in which the lead is willing to
bend the rules to get what they want, namely justice.
How does Street Kings fair (aside from is awful name)?
Better than you might think. Keanu Reeves plays the tough guy this time. It's perhaps the first time he looks old enough to
pull off the "veteran" role. People like to knock Keanu, but give him credit for knowing his place. His troubled character has
obviously got his problems, but Keanu keeps it simple and focuses his character more on staying straight ahead than the
alcoholism cliches that were probably in the script.
The casting was interesting as well. Jay Mohr wearing the "Cops" inspired mustache was a tough guy and Cedric the
Entertainer was an informant. Cedric's probably was more successful.
Common and The Game also show up. Common, who was also in Smoking Aces and American Gangster, contributes to
one of the most memorable badass scenes of the year. His future could be fun to watch, or it could be as bad as his next
movie, Wanted, looks.
The authority figures in the movie fall flat more than anybody else. Hugh Laurie plays a I.A officer and Forest Whitaker
plays Keanu's boss. Laurie doesn't deviate much from House and looks like he lost his cane. Whitaker clearly relishes
going over the top with varying results throughout.
The movie is never much more than a straight up guy movie. Enough twists and turns to keep you going. A few memorable
scenes. An ending that suffices. Like Keanu, Street Kings doesn't try to be more than it is and that in itself is rewarding.
bend the rules to get what they want, namely justice.
How does Street Kings fair (aside from is awful name)?
Better than you might think. Keanu Reeves plays the tough guy this time. It's perhaps the first time he looks old enough to
pull off the "veteran" role. People like to knock Keanu, but give him credit for knowing his place. His troubled character has
obviously got his problems, but Keanu keeps it simple and focuses his character more on staying straight ahead than the
alcoholism cliches that were probably in the script.
The casting was interesting as well. Jay Mohr wearing the "Cops" inspired mustache was a tough guy and Cedric the
Entertainer was an informant. Cedric's probably was more successful.
Common and The Game also show up. Common, who was also in Smoking Aces and American Gangster, contributes to
one of the most memorable badass scenes of the year. His future could be fun to watch, or it could be as bad as his next
movie, Wanted, looks.
The authority figures in the movie fall flat more than anybody else. Hugh Laurie plays a I.A officer and Forest Whitaker
plays Keanu's boss. Laurie doesn't deviate much from House and looks like he lost his cane. Whitaker clearly relishes
going over the top with varying results throughout.
The movie is never much more than a straight up guy movie. Enough twists and turns to keep you going. A few memorable
scenes. An ending that suffices. Like Keanu, Street Kings doesn't try to be more than it is and that in itself is rewarding.
FREE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------
somebodyisfromhere.com
The destination destination.
<<< Way back when, Somebodyisfromhere.com applied to the
University of Southern California. They decided to go in a different
direction. By the time he graduated college elsewhere, USC had
won a national championship, produced a few Heisman winners,
and compromised his personal information. Bitter? Naaaaah. Hell,
with the recent string of cop movies out, Somebodyisfromhere.com
has learned his life is much safer outside of Los Angeles.
University of Southern California. They decided to go in a different
direction. By the time he graduated college elsewhere, USC had
won a national championship, produced a few Heisman winners,
and compromised his personal information. Bitter? Naaaaah. Hell,
with the recent string of cop movies out, Somebodyisfromhere.com
has learned his life is much safer outside of Los Angeles.
The Wild Wild West.
* * * *
* * * *
Since LA Confidential, there have been a string of LA based Chinatown type corrupt
cop stories. Here's a list from best to worst.
LA Confidential. Russell Crow's American breakthrough. Kevin Spacey off of Se7en and
the Usual Suspects. One of the best villains of time (James Cromwell). One of my favorite
movies
Training Day. This movie owes a lot to positive momentum. Just a straight action pic,
maybe with slightly more gahones than usual. But throw in an Oscar nomination for Denzel
and all the sudden its respected.
Changeling.
Street Kings.
The Shield (tv). On the pilot episode, the cops killed one of their own an act that has
followed them several seasons. It's still on. Forest Whitaker even was in a season.
Dark Blue. Kurt Russell has always been fun to watch, but the movie is just average all the
way up to the simplistic and anti-climatic ending.
Hollywood Homicide. Josh Harnett has got that whole Keanu Reeves thing going only he
doesn't know how to pull in the reins. Ditto: The Black Dahlia.
***Didn't see Harsh Times.
cop stories. Here's a list from best to worst.
LA Confidential. Russell Crow's American breakthrough. Kevin Spacey off of Se7en and
the Usual Suspects. One of the best villains of time (James Cromwell). One of my favorite
movies
Training Day. This movie owes a lot to positive momentum. Just a straight action pic,
maybe with slightly more gahones than usual. But throw in an Oscar nomination for Denzel
and all the sudden its respected.
Changeling.
Street Kings.
The Shield (tv). On the pilot episode, the cops killed one of their own an act that has
followed them several seasons. It's still on. Forest Whitaker even was in a season.
Dark Blue. Kurt Russell has always been fun to watch, but the movie is just average all the
way up to the simplistic and anti-climatic ending.
Hollywood Homicide. Josh Harnett has got that whole Keanu Reeves thing going only he
doesn't know how to pull in the reins. Ditto: The Black Dahlia.
***Didn't see Harsh Times.
| With new content weekly, Somebodyisfromhere.com takes a look at travel albeit from the perspective of somebody who probably watched a little too much TV as a kid (or yesterday). The site doubles as a venue in which you can share stories or pictures from your vacations because, let's face it, your friends are sick of hearing about it. |
| What did I forget? Tell me at crodgers@somebodyisfromhere.com or on my myspace page. |
**The Following was originally published in February 2008.
<<< The newest entry to the sub-genre that is the corrupt LA cop movie, The Changeling,
was released this weekend.
The unbelievably true story was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Angelina Jolie and
John Malkovich.
Jolie's charachter, Christine Collins, son goes missing and eventually the cops find someone
they think is the child in Illinois, only Collins never believes it to be her son. Collins can site
some scientific facts, like height, backing up her claim. The cops believe that most of the
changes are due to the six months that had passed.
Eastwood assuredly directs the overly long movie. Never for a moment does the movie not
feel like it was shot in the 1920s.
Backing up the stars are a surprisingly less famous supporting troupe for an Eastwood
movie. Amy Ryan sheds her Office nice girl role for her more familiar frazzled persona (Gone
Baby Gone). Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) plays the stubborn police captain. The dirty
father from Unhappily Ever After (Geoff Pierson) plays a respected lawyer. Best of all
probably is Micheal Kelly (the FBI agent from The Sopranos) who successfully summons up
the old school cool of the 1920s cop.
was released this weekend.
The unbelievably true story was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Angelina Jolie and
John Malkovich.
Jolie's charachter, Christine Collins, son goes missing and eventually the cops find someone
they think is the child in Illinois, only Collins never believes it to be her son. Collins can site
some scientific facts, like height, backing up her claim. The cops believe that most of the
changes are due to the six months that had passed.
Eastwood assuredly directs the overly long movie. Never for a moment does the movie not
feel like it was shot in the 1920s.
Backing up the stars are a surprisingly less famous supporting troupe for an Eastwood
movie. Amy Ryan sheds her Office nice girl role for her more familiar frazzled persona (Gone
Baby Gone). Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) plays the stubborn police captain. The dirty
father from Unhappily Ever After (Geoff Pierson) plays a respected lawyer. Best of all
probably is Micheal Kelly (the FBI agent from The Sopranos) who successfully summons up
the old school cool of the 1920s cop.
Against type, Malkovich plays a religious radio station personality who tries to bring to light corruption. In Collins, he found the perfect
symbol. Collins had to fight through cops who are desperate to be on the good end of a story and who are willing to do anything to
do it. There was also psychiatric hospitals who were a little too willing to work with these cops. But worst of all, the police spent too
much time covering their own behinds and not enough time doing their jobs, which would be bad enough had their not been a serial
killer loose in town.
symbol. Collins had to fight through cops who are desperate to be on the good end of a story and who are willing to do anything to
do it. There was also psychiatric hospitals who were a little too willing to work with these cops. But worst of all, the police spent too
much time covering their own behinds and not enough time doing their jobs, which would be bad enough had their not been a serial
killer loose in town.