Danny DeVito, David Strathairn, Guy Pearce

Curtis Hanson's adaptation of the James Ellroy best-seller is that rarest of modern Hollywood creations, a crime drama with the brains, sex appeal, humor, danger and action to satisfy all tastes. The ...( read more  read more... )best film about Los Angeles since "Chinatown."

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90% liked it

116,777 ratings

Critics

99% liked it

80 critics

R, 2 hrs. 18 min.

Directed by: Curtis Hanson

Release Date: September 19, 1997

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DVD Release Date: April 22, 1998

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Stats: 5,804 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,804)


  • September 18, 2009
    This is a great film, full of unpredictable surprises and a faithful adaptation to James Ellroy's novel.
  • August 5, 2009
    This is a good movie, Guy Pearce jumping over Kim Bassinger do felt forced, and the movie seems to boild down to "kill the final boss and everything will be ok" But i can't complaint, great performances and a good script make me forget about all that stuff. Guy Pearce should be i...( read more)n more movies. Russell Crowe's role here makes me forget that he made the atrocious "A Beautiful Mind". Kevin Spacey was also in the right role for him.
  • April 17, 2009
    L.A. Confidential is the most classy, intriguing, thought provoking and sexiest detective movie ever to be made in the history of detective films.

    When you look back at it and see that Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey and Guy Pearce actually appeared in the same film back in 97 then...( read more) you wouldn't have believed it since they have all gone on to better things but before that we had L.A. Confidential which was Crowe's and Pearce's ticket into Hollywood. Spacey had already made it with his Best Supporting Actor nod for The Usual Suspects but what puzzles me is how everybody apart from Kim Basinger didn't get any acting nominations at the Oscars. James Cromwell is the most chilled out villain you'll ever going to see in a film like this and has been criminally ignored by the Academy. Curtis Hanson was also someone who had made some good films but no masterpieces till this came along.

    They all must have sold their souls to make this because when you get big cast get together to make a Hollywood film then you become a bit intrigued by it because if the cast is big then is the story any good? In L.A. Confidential's case it had both and a lot more to say the least.

    I still think that this is Spacey's, Crowe's and Pearce's best film of there career. Russell Crowe as tough guy but sentimental towards women Bud White is flawless and is quite like the real Russell Crowe which is scary. Guy Pearce as the quick witted but dumb looking Ed Exley is someone one you either love or you hate as the annoying rookie. Kevin Spacey is just as cool as anything that Bogart and Mitchium could have pulled off as Jack Vincennes and there is the movie along with a great script by Brian Heagland of Mystic River fame and Curtis Hanson himself who put together a great script from James Ellroy's novel.

    Kim Basinger is as sexy as she is going to get and her acting is very good and well deserving of her Oscar if the boys were robbed. I liked how we had three different stories and one case that all had something to do with another but were all separate anyway till the end. It was like watching a movie with three stories based on a trio of detectives. L.A. Confidential was a treat as far as storytelling goes because it enthrals you into the film straight away as well as it being more exciting than a night out in Vegas.

    We don't see Detective films like this so we should be grateful that this came along when it did.
  • April 8, 2009
    There are a bunch of films out there that try to be noir films. Very few succeed with them usually being mediocre cop and robber films. The last great noir film is 1997's L.A. Confidential, a dark and seedy look into the L.A.P.D. of the 1950's. I could give you the plot of the fi...( read more)lm but it's so layered it would take too long to discuss. It's main storyline follows three cops. One is Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), an up and comer, trying to get all the publicity and promotions he can to get out of his fathers long shadow. He plays by the book, yet knows how the game is played. Another cop is Bud White (Russell Crowe) a veteran hot head who uses force to get to what he wants, especially if someone is harming a woman. Finally there's Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) who serves as the technical advisor on a show that is obviously Dragnet. Under the oversight of their Irish captain (James Cromwell) they sort out various murders, drug deals, and prostitution rings. There's even the femme fatale, a girl far from home who is doing things she never even dreamed of named Lynn (Kim Basinger).

    Now I know that my synopsis is rather vague. The film is just so full of plots and connections that it needs to be viewed to be appreciated. It is a 1950's noir film released in 1997. The cast is fantastic, particularly Crowe's sadistic Bud White and Basinger's reluctant glamour whore Lynn Bracken. Both seem to have fallen right out of a John Huston film into this flick. Director Curtis Hanson delivers what is essentially a time capsule into the L.A. of yesteryear. I could almost call this a companion piece to Chinatown. One is as good as the other and capture the era and their characters 100%.

    L.A. Confidential is a member along with Raging Bull, Pulp Fiction, and others of the illustrious club of films that were screwed out of the Oscar. It was beaten by Titanic in a popularity contest of the year. Titanic was also a period piece, but it felt like an over produced day time soap compared to the sleek L.A. Confidential which was a well defined and developed piece of cinema. It stands as a testament of great, pure movie making. A modern classic.
  • February 5, 2009
    "Rollo Tomasi..."

    The film is held as one of the best crime movies made. I couldn't agree more. The story is complex, featuring several sub-plots, that keep the viewer focused and entertained throughout the whole movie.

    "L.A Confidential's" biggest strength is its wonderful cas...( read more)t. Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, David Strathaim... What's there not to like? Definitely an all-star cast. Pearce is an underrated actor and he should really get all the credit he deserves.

    The film looks and feels like a noir classic from the past. The production values weren't probably that big but everything that is shown on the screen looks like a tribute to the old classics.

    "L.A Confidential" is a movie that will last the test of time. The film has a great story, strong performances by the cast and fine direction by Curtis Hanson. Highly recommended to all viewers who love crime movies.
  • November 20, 2009
    There are no good guys in this movie.
  • November 20, 2009
    This is quite possibly one of the best made movies of all time. Simple as that.







    This is quite possibly one of the best made movies of all time. Simple as that.
  • November 15, 2009
    finally a crime drama i like that doesnt take place in modern times.
  • November 13, 2009
    Best Adapted Screenplay 1997 - Best Actress 1997 - Best Makeup 1997
  • November 4, 2009
    I thought the first part of that movie wasn't too good but the moment I discovered the real bad guy I was very surprised. I hadn't expected him to be the villain. So from that moment on the movie went uphill. Only the scenes with Kim Basinger who looked like a cheap whore ...( read more)were awful and took down the quality for sure.

Critic Reviews


April 9, 2008
David Edelstein, Slate

Stop reading. Put this review on hold until after you've seen L.A. Confidential. full review

April 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

A rattling good police story and a dark, laughing tone poem to the never-innocent city of illusions. full review

May 11, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Against all odds, L.A. Confidential succeeds brilliantly, right down to Jerry Goldsmith's score, which evokes his haunting theme from Chinatown without being haunted by it. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

L.A. Confidential is immersed in the atmosphere and lore of film noir, but it doesn't seem like a period picture--it believes its noir values and isn't just using them for decoration. full review

January 1, 2000
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

This is about one of the best crime dramas in years. full review

View more L.A. Confidential reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • itbegins2005
    May 12, 2008
    Is it just me, or is it massively ironic that the two most central characters to the plot have the two smallest depictions on the poster?

    THAT'S why you should never sell a movie by exploiting its "name" actors- you never know what might become of the guys playing second-fiddle...
  • terris85017
    February 16, 2008
    If there were 5 more movies you could see and no more....make sure this is one of them!!

    IMPACT!!
  • johnston811
    June 11, 2006
    Great movie with great writing and acting. Keeps you guessing and even though Kevin Spaceys character was not a great person you can't help but like him.

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L.A. Confidential Trivia


  • Have you a valediction, boy-o? -- Captain Dudley Smith  Answer »
  • Which of these movie groups contain a movie that Nicolas cage did NOT act in....  Answer »
  • Who has starred in the movies Se7en, The usual suspects and L.A Confidential?  Answer »
  • Dick Stensland: I got a hot date. Bud White: Yeah? Who is she and what did you arrest her for? The above quote is from what 1997 movie?  Answer »

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