CelluloidChild
03-14-13, 06:40 PM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/97/Bad_Lieutenant_.jpg/215px-Bad_Lieutenant_.jpg
This won't be a lengthy review, but since there doesn't seem to be a thread on Bad Lieutenant (1992) I figured I'd start one as I'm interested in what other people who have seen the film think.
Harvey Keitel delivers a truly great performance as a New York cop already on the edge and fast hurtling into the abyss. With his off-the-grid corruption and debauchery, many viewers might not find his character at all sympathetic, but his all-out raging performance had me with him all the way. And his bizarre antics maintain a certain sense of dark humor and prevent the film from getting too heavy.
The script weaves together a fascinating melange of police corruption, drug use, gambling, the National League baseball championship, and Catholicism. The theme of a fallen soul apparently beyond redemption carries through to the unexpected twist at the end.
The film's main drawback is that most of the acting besides Keitel's is amateurish. I generally found Abel Ferrara's directing in this film to be solid, but I question a director who is willing to accept such poor performances - even from supporting actors. This is a minor point because Keitel appears in and dominates every single scene, and on the huge strength of his howling, riveting performance I'd give it an 8.5/10.
This won't be a lengthy review, but since there doesn't seem to be a thread on Bad Lieutenant (1992) I figured I'd start one as I'm interested in what other people who have seen the film think.
Harvey Keitel delivers a truly great performance as a New York cop already on the edge and fast hurtling into the abyss. With his off-the-grid corruption and debauchery, many viewers might not find his character at all sympathetic, but his all-out raging performance had me with him all the way. And his bizarre antics maintain a certain sense of dark humor and prevent the film from getting too heavy.
The script weaves together a fascinating melange of police corruption, drug use, gambling, the National League baseball championship, and Catholicism. The theme of a fallen soul apparently beyond redemption carries through to the unexpected twist at the end.
The film's main drawback is that most of the acting besides Keitel's is amateurish. I generally found Abel Ferrara's directing in this film to be solid, but I question a director who is willing to accept such poor performances - even from supporting actors. This is a minor point because Keitel appears in and dominates every single scene, and on the huge strength of his howling, riveting performance I'd give it an 8.5/10.