L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

The only thing more difficult than writing about a movie that is just fine (with no remarkable qualities one way or the other) is writing about a movie you know is good but simply don't enjoy.

The only thing more difficult than writing about a movie that is just fine (with no remarkable qualities one way or the other) is writing about a movie you know is good but simply don't enjoy. Such is the case with L.A. Confidential. I can see that it's an excellent film. I understand why it's so acclaimed. And yet, every time I try to watch it, I find my attention drifting.

Curtis Hanson's modern noir classic is set in the 1940s and contrasts Hollywood glamor and sophistication with L.A.'s gritty underworld. It's a tangled web of sensationalized news stories produced (and sometimes set-up) by sleazy tabloid reporters, police corruption, murder, and prostitution all wrapped in a pretty package. Though the film is steeped in the look and feel of the '40s, it could just as easily take place today.

After the affiliates of a mob kingpin are murdered, three very different cops join forces to crack the case. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a buyable cop who orchestrates celebrity arrests in concert with tabloid reporter Sid Hudgens (Danny Devito), Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a malleable young officer who's not above following the department's sometimes shady practices, and Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is a play-by-the-rules sort of fellow who serves as the moral compass of the trio. Their investigation leads them to a prostitution ring run by Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn) where all of the hookers are "cut" to look like movie stars. Kim Basinger gives an Oscar-winning performance as Lynn Bracken, the Veronica Lake lookalike, and soon she and Bud are falling into one another's arms.

The plot is heavily layered and rife with twists, but it is well-crafted and comes together satisfyingly in the end. The cast is (obviously) exceedingly talented, and the look and feel of the film couldn't be more elegant or authentic. The question here is not one of quality—simply whether or not the movie strikes your fancy. If you were a fan in 1997, you'll undoubtedly appreciate the spruced-up new edition.

DVD NOTES

The Two Disc Special Edition of L.A. Confidential comes with an entire disc of extra features that look into the making-of and history of the film. Curtis Hanson figures prominently into each featurette, and interviews with all of the key players (Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, David Strathairn, and Guy Pearce) are included. We're given the opportunity to delve into the book behind the movie, the look of the film, and the difficult process of securing a studio. Looking back at the success the film went on to enjoy, it's surprising to see what a gamble it was at the time. Though the time period, the budget, and the film noir aspect of the movie were all considered hindrances, we all know L.A. Confidential went on to be embraced by movie-goers and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. A handy map tells us how to visit the locations used in the film, and the pilot to an L.A. Confidential television series (starring one Keifer Sutherland) rounds out the fun. A third disc offers a sampling of music from the movie and includes six songs by the likes of Dean Martin, Jackie Gleason, Chet Baker, Betty Hutton, and Johnny Mercer. It's a classy upgrade worthy of the film itself.