Review of film: “BROOKLYN’S FINEST”

2010, 03-02:

Review of film:  “BROOKLYN’S FINEST”

Director

Antoine Fuqua

Writer:

Michael C. Martin

Starring:

Richard Gere Don Cheadle Ethan Hawke Wesley Snipes Vincent D'Onofrio

Brian F. O'Byrne

Will Patton

Michael K. Williams

Lili Taylor Shannon Kane Ellen Barkin

Wass Stevens Armando Riesco

MPAA Rating:

R for bloody violence throughout, strong sexuality, nudity, drug content and pervasive language.

Quotes:

“I want my life BACK--!”

“You know what it is.”

“That’s it?!”

“I’m OUT, man.  I’m OFF the case!”

“…  When everybody’s face-to-face--.”

“You got what you asked for.”

“He’s shot.”

MY Rating:

8.5 of 10 stars (based on an advance screening of the 2 hr. 20-minute film).

                           The title is purely IRONIC, Folks!

Usually, a phrase describing someone as a city’s “Finest” means they’re likely in the Police or Fire Department & subject to much respect if not downright adoration.  While this movie follows the lives of various members of a New York Police group, a number of them are FAR from the “Finest” representatives of their profession:

…  Eddie (RICHARD GERE) is a cop who’s eagerly looking forward to RETIREMENT--  altho he has nothing to really live “for”.  He prefers acting “blind” to improper things going on around him, because he doesn’t want anything to jeopardize his getting a pension, & just doesn’t seem to “CARE” much anymore…

 

…  Sal (ETHAN HAWKE) is a seemingly religious Catholic officer--  who has a habit of RIPPING-OFF money from drug dealers & those of similar ilk, since he has a number of kids, more on the way thanks to his wife Angela (LILI TAYLOR), & he feels he needs the cash to get a new house for his family to live in comfortably…

…  He has a good friend (& poker-playing buddy) on the force named Ronny Rosario (BRIAN F. O'BYRNE), a “straight-arrow” cop who feels Ethan is very lucky to have kids, doesn’t know what Ethan is “into”, & keeps trying to be supportive and protective of him… 

…  There are others in his poker-playing group of cops such as Det. Patrick Leary (WASS STEVENS) & Det. George Montress (ARMANDO RIESCO)...  (You’ll see a number of religious symbols interspersed thru the film-- & I think it was meant to “convey” various things of an often-“IRONIC” nature concerning the people who’d worked to have those emblems around)…

…  Tango (DON CHEADLE) is a outwardly laid-back guy who is working UNDERCOVER as a drug-dealer...

...  He HATES his job, since he has to deal with some tough people like “Caz” / Casanova (WESLEY SNIPES) who were decent to him in the past (as he was growing up).  He also has to tough it out with others he considers to be scum (such as drug dealer “Red”, played by MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS), and he’s often ruthless at doing his “job”… 

…  Don wants to LEAVE his clandestine work, & keeps being “strung-along” by his superior Lt. Bill Hobarts (WILL PATTON) with promises of a higher-level “desk” type job which he desperately wants rather than the super-violent life he currently leads… 

...  Don doesn’t take kindly to arrogant well-connected people (or superiors on the force), such as foul-mouthed Agent Smith (ELLEN BARKIN)…

…  The film keeps switching back & forth between the highlighted players, & you see how most of them seem to be on increasingly-involved “DOWNWARD” spirals in their lives…  There are involvements with hookers, deaths of various cops, tinderbox confrontations between the police & the public, numerous drug deals & rip-offs, covert work, hidden “agendas”, diverse deceptions, etc…

…  Will Richard Gere actually RETIRE, & if so, how will that “go” for him?…  Will Ethan keep working to steal money, & will he get what he WANTS?… 

...  Will Don Cheadle keep doing the “double agent” type work he keeps threatening to leave?  Will he get what’s PROMISED to him, &, if so, under what circumstances?…  Will there be any “GOOD guys” at the end, &, WHO will they be (& “why”)?…

…  There’s a reason for the almost constantly “foreboding” music thruout this film:  It’s a TOUGH world out there, & you’ll see copious depictions of that in this gritty & fascinating movie --  which is very WELL-ACTED by all involved (including one of the most “serious” dramatic Gere performances in years), with loads of engaging (but usually very violent) “TWISTS & TURNS”…

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