MINI REVIEW - Brooklyn's Finest (2010)

This is going to be a quickie, basically because I've done a lot of cop films lately and I'll just muse briefly on this one. Basically, yeah, it's good. Yes, this review will be more insightful than that. The tale of three cops played by Don Cheadle, Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke - each with their own fortes and foibles and all of whom are tortured in some way. The film is a bleak one, and naturally with the darkness and horror of the job come personal sacrifices that they have all made and perhaps given too much in the name of the job. Naturally, it's pretty intense stuff. Brooklyn is a harsh place, and the actors all give the material a good stab. I think perhaps my only issue is that I've sort of seen it before, and it's unfair perhaps to compare it with 'The Wire' but in a way the epic mightiness of the series has slightly coloured my perception of films involving police and their relationship with criminals. Brooklyn's Finest does a good job of doing The Wire in two hours, to the point where it even borrows most of the cast, yet again playing drug dealers (apparently this is one of three roles available to black actors in Hollywood. The others being pimp daddies and wise old men).

It's all very gritty and harsh and far from rosy. Perhaps its familiarity is what makes it rather unremarkable to me, but that doesn't make it bad by any stretch. It's sensible, sometimes daring, and has Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle in it. These are all good things. Even Richard Gere does well, and his acting range usually extends to raising his eyebrow and looking forlorn. I was surprised to see Wesley Snipes in it, given that he hasn't acted much recently - might have something to do with that tax evasion thing for which he was supposed to be in prison, but hey, who am I to judge. It's all well plotted and has all those lovely catholic themes of redemption and vengeance which translate so well to the screen. Also, if you love actors talking in bronchitis afflicted low tones, then you'll definitely love it. So yeah, see it is what I say. Expect a solid drama with some fine performances, but don't expect to remember too much about it afterwards.