Unraveling Secrets in 1950s L.A. - A Review of 'L.A. Confidential'
‘L.A. Confidential’ is a police procedural crime drama that is developing around three LAPD officers, each having different ethical codes and personal vices, that are set in Los Angeles of 1950’s. Exley, the young politician’s son, Bud White, the blonde-strongman, and halfrican Vincennes, cool and clever Hollywood officer move from one murder and another in the tangled web involving thugs, heinous criminals, and glamorous Hollywood. Both of them are in search of the truth and the darkness that they encounter leads them through serpentine plots of deception that force them to question the morality of justice, setting into the corrupt world of the underbelly city of Los Angeles. These motives are skillfully incorporated into the plot with a dark atmosphere further enhanced by the use of foggy, ill-lit streets of LA setting.
This is a worthy follow up with great performances that make it almost a delight to watch. Kevin Spacey’s Jack Vincennes is enigmatic but a very magnetic character; Russell Crowe quite effectively portrays the intense cop Bud White torn within him between sheer anger and righteousness. Edmund Exley portrayed by Guy Pearce is a good example of a young police officer whose ambition is in conflict with his conscience. Lynn Bracken is played by Kim Basinger, who worked well portraying a woman entangled between the two men and deserves her Academy Award. It should then be noted that the Author was quite successful at weaving a single story line that connects all the fluctuations of the characters as well as subplots. The film immediately captures the viewer’s attention and the story haunts the audience even after the final scene is over. The music score supports the tension of critical scenes and brings the overall vibe of early 1950’s Hollywood perfectly in tune with the feel of the film.
It also has some really interesting cinematography by Dante Spinotti – great contrast with darkness and bright lightings and occasional breathtaking shots of the Los Angeles. The increase in the brooding artsy outlook enriches the movie’s noir feel to the viewer.
From the costumes to the sets, they mimic the pre 1960’s Los Angeles perfectly. Cinematographic thematics associated with the narrative action are accurately interpreted to capture the essence of the period, and become the focus as they enhance reality as opposed to emphasizing on spectacle. The practical sequences like the ones depicting the crime scenes, heighten the believability of the audience without compromising crucial plot points.
The crime recreations are well done and along with it the flow of the movie is good mainly due to the proper editing. These quick shots provide clarity to the storyline and also increase the tension throughout the movie.
The film is well timed with considerable build–up of tension, declivity, twists and turns. This frees the character while keeping the viewers hooked at a near 3 hours of the movie.
Dialogue is intelligent with the element of humor and toughness that are characteristic of the noir genre. In each exchange, there is an attempt to depict character development, advance the plot and establish an atmosphere of a city on the verge Extremely smoothly, ‘L.A. Confidential’ shines in nearly every aspect; however, this is occasionally due to the great and intricate plot that might take too much attention and focus from the viewers. A few of the undertales are riveting but distracting from the main storyline, at least somewhat. However, one can hardly argue with any of those as they do not diminish the excellence of the film at all. It leaves one with a kind of mystique and appreciation for its narrative and mood that would explain it as a fascinating ride to the shadowy closet of glamour and vice that was Hollywood of the golden era.
