Heat-packing ‘Narc’ a worthwhile thriller; don’t miss ‘25th

Hour’

‘Narc’ not the typical buddy cop film

A definite cut above the average crime drama, “Narc” is a dark,

gripping and complex story of two troubled cops chasing down the

truth behind the brutal murder of a fellow officer.

Ray Liotta and Jason Patric give Oscar-quality performances as the

two cops obsessed with their mission and already in trouble with

their Internal Affairs Unit. They bring intense energy to highly

charged roles and leave you believing they have become their

characters.

Busta Rhymes is among several lesser known actors who bring

compelling realism to their roles as the drug dealers, users and

losers of the big city ghetto.

Set on the meanest streets of Detroit’s worst neighborhoods, every

scene is a bleak perpetual gray matching the grim task facing the

cops. The great camera work, with several hand-held shots, gives a

documentary look and feel to the raw action on the screen. The sparse

musical score adds to the tension and complements director Joe

Carnahan’s alternating moments of quiet apprehension and

heart-pounding suspense.

With Tom Cruise and Ray Liotta putting up their own money to

produce the film, you know the script must be something special, and

it is.

As the mystery unfolds on screen, we see the critical murder scene

played in flashback a dozen different ways, as each witness adds a

new clue to the puzzle. Irony and poetic justice weave in and out of

the unforgiving story.

While this screenplay contains some obligatory elements of the

police thriller, don’t look for any funny one-liners found in the

typical buddy cop movie. There is no sunshine and absolutely no humor

in this tough and gritty film. It is violent, profane and hard to

watch, even as you appreciate the twists and turns of the intricate

and intelligent plot. It’s worth seeing if you can handle the heat.

* JOHN DEPKO, 48, is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior

investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office.

‘25th Hour’ is well cast and well done

Dirty cops, thieves, drug dealers, hookers and all the other dregs

of society: what is the only thing that can make a person sympathize

and even relate to these people? Film. That quality has amazed me

from the moment I began to study film.

Spike Lee’s “The 25th Hour” is a perfect example of how film can

make one feel sorry for the drug dealer who has one day left to enjoy

freedom before serving time.

Monty Brogan’s (Ed Norton) lifestyle has finally caught up with

him. After five years of living the high life off the addictions of

others, Monty is busted by the DEA and sentenced to a seven-year jail

term. With 24 hours left of freedom, he has gathered two of his

boyhood chums and the love of his life for one last night to party.

As the evening unfolds, Monty faces the harsh reality of how he

got himself into this predicament, while his friends and lover are

forced to reexamine exactly how they each played a part in his

downfall.

This film is so well put together, I find it hard to criticize.

Each element from cast to director to writer came together to make

this film a great work of art. Norton shines in his ability to

develop a role so subtle. Every emotion is more than believable,

causing each member of the ensemble to play off this subtleness and

fully realize their characters. David Benioff successfully took his

novel from narrative to script, and Lee finalized the brilliance on

screen by combining a unique directing style with a well-bred cast.

“The 25th Hour” will not give you a spectacular display of guns

and car chases, but it will remind you of how precious life really is

and how each decision we make matters. If you want the latter, don’t

miss this one on the big screen.

* DEANDRA RICH lives in Costa Mesa and is an avid moviegoer.