- Film Review
- Reviewed By Stella Papamichael
-
4 out of 5
Subtlety flies out of the window, along with the baddies, in this action-heavy flick, as LA cops Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin make a stand against Mob kingpin Mickey Cohen (played to the hilt by Sean Penn). It may be based on a true story, but the subject of corruption at the LAPD was portrayed with much more sophistication in LA Confidential. Director Ruben Fleischer takes a basic, gung-ho approach in this adaptation of Paul Lieberman's book, but makes the most of his talent for blending flamboyantly staged violence with dark humour (previously in cult films Zombieland and 30 Minutes or Less) and splashes the budget on a glossy re-creation of 1940s Los Angeles. Brolin's upstanding sergeant gives the film a moral backbone, though Gosling upstages him with effortless poise, gradually fraying at the edges after getting involved with Cohen's moll (the doll-faced Emma Stone). Like the mission to bring down Cohen, this thriller is definitely more brawn than brains, but it sets its sights clearly from the get-go and hits the mark with relish.
Plot Summary
A New York gangster brings his criminal organisation to Los Angeles in 1949, rapidly seizing control of the city's criminal activity and corrupting the authorities to ensure no one stands up to him. The chief of police discreetly sets up a secret task force with the intention of bringing the mobster to justice. Crime thriller, starring Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Sgt Jerry Wooters
- Ryan Gosling
- Mickey Cohen
- Sean Penn
- Sgt John O'Mara
- Josh Brolin
- Grace Faraday
- Emma Stone
- Officer Conwell Keeler
- Giovanni Ribisi
- Chief Bill Parker
- Nick Nolte
- Officer Gates
- Josh Pence
- Officer Coleman Harris
- Anthony Mackie
- Navidad Ramirez
- Michael Pena
- Officer Max Kennard
- Robert Patrick
- Dragna
- Jon Polito
Crew
- Director
- Ruben Fleischer
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