The Most Corrupt Cop You've Ever Seen on Screen?

Rampart (2011) / US / Out on DVD now / Directed by Oren Moverman / Written by James Ellroy and Oren Moverman / Starring Woody Harrelson, Ned Beatty, Ben Foster, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Robin Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Buscemi, Ice Cube, Brie Larson / 108 minutes

"Woody Harrelson is the most corrupt cop you've ever seen on screen" - the tagline which is plastered across the posters and the trailers for Rampart, Oren Moverman's follow-up to the marvellous 2009 film The Messenger. If a film makes such a bold claim, you can only be sure that it is doing that because it truly means it, right?

Unfortunately, that's not the case with Rampart. I haven't seen too many cop movies, so I wouldn't know how corrupt they can really go, but I'm sure that Rampart's Dave Brown (Harrelson) doesn't really reach the top of the coppo-corrupto-metre. That isn't because the character doesn't have a corrupt soul - because he sure does - it is just that the film never really decides if it wants to show that corruption. In fact, the film never really decides on what it wants to show us at all. What we have instead is a disappointingly incomplete screenplay, which seems like it is more happy contributing ideas to a story instead of building it. Through that, we have multiple characters coming in and out, contributing to dynamics that are never sustained. Those characters happen to be played beautifully by a range of actors who contribute to probably one of the best ensemble acting performances of the past year, and at least make sure that this isn't just one long acting exercise for Harrelson. In the end, Rampart has a lot to contribute, but not a lot of getting up and doing things for itself.

DVD--The Messenger

or: War and grief.

One word to sum it up: Emotional.

Movies about the Iraq war have become about as popular as Jennifer Aniston romantic comedies in Hollywood these days. One of them, The Hurt Locker, even won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2010 over the highest grossing movie of all time. However, this movie wasn't the only one tackling the Iraq war as a topic at the Oscars in 2010. The Messenger was nominated for two Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson) and Best Original Screenplay (which it lost to The Hurt Locker). The most amazing thing is that it has taken this long to get to our shores, only to wind up as a straight to DVD release. Which is a shame, because this movie is truly amazing, no doubt about it.

Instead of focusing on the actual war going on, The Messenger follows the people who go around telling families that their son/relative has died in Iraq as a consequence of war. US Army Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) is sent back home after he is injured by an improvised explosive device. He is upset when he gets the job of being in the 'Casual Notification Team', because he hasn't had much experience in counselling or grief management, so he doesn't know how suited he is to the job. He is paired with Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), who has been doing the job for much longer, and teaches Will a thing or two about what they are doing. One case which takes Will by surprise is that of Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton), who also has a young child. He is taken by her, even though it may not be in either of their best interests to start a relationship.

The Messenger took me completely by surprise. I thought it would be just another war film with all these explosives and espionage and that kind of thing, but it wasn't. It handles such a dark topic, but yet it is still completely engrossing and emotionally powerful. It deals with all type of grief, but yet, it isn't as depressing as it may have you believe, and has a good deal of humour spread throughout it. It's deftly handled by writer/director Oren Moverman, who was also the brains behind the brilliant screenplay for I'm Not There. He clearly knows his agenda: to make a movie about such a timely matter which also has a nice romantic story which is nicely, if slightly ambiguously rounded off in the end. The way the characters are developed is a high point. This is particularly seen in Will's monologue towards the end, which is so beautifully done.

The performances, however, are the best reason to see this movie. Ben Foster does a stunningly good turn in the lead role, and is slowly building up to be one of the future's finest actors. He gives the character the right amount of mysteriousness, and did remind me of the 'war is my drug' character James in The Hurt Locker. Samantha Morton is sweet and realistic as the love interest who was charming to watch. Jena Malone, in a small role, makes the most of her opportunity and shows that she is ready for bigger things now, like the upcoming Sucker Punch. Steve Buscemi, also in a small role, is brilliant as always. It is really Woody Harrelson who steals the show though, in his Oscar nominated performance. His turn as a recovering alcoholic with an incredible attitude towards grief was brilliant to watch. The strength he had over everyone was obvious. Yet, he could still lighten things up with some trademark Woody humour.

THE VERDICT: A well performed, well written movie tending to an issue which is both depressing and interesting to watch, but never failed to blow me away.

What I hoped for:

 
 
 
 
 
What I got:

Classic--Reservoir Dogs

or: The action movie made up entirely of dialogue.

One word to sum it up: Talky.

After watching Reservoir Dogs, I came to the realization that I have now watched all of Quentin Tarantino's movies (okay, so I haven't watched Jackie Brown, but I barely knew that was in existence and it's not exactly easy to find). You know what? I am still in love with QT just as much as I was when I first watched Pulp Fiction when I was a wee twelve years old. Reservoir Dogs, his debut feature, is a clear example of why he decided to do his own thing and it worked, which is why he is one of the best directors around these days.

Six criminals, who are strangers to each other, are hired by a crime boss Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) to carry out a diamond robbery. Right at the outset, they are given false names with an intention that they won't get too close and concentrate on the job instead. They are completely sure that the robbery is going to be a success. But when the police show up right at the time and the site of the robbery, panic spreads amongst the group members and one of them is killed in the subsequent shootout along with a few policemen and civilians. When the remaining people assemble at the premeditated rendezvous point (a warehouse), they begin to suspect that one of them is an undercover cop.

From it's opening scene, where we hear Quentin Tarantino's unmistakable voice trying to explain Like a Virgin, you can tell you're in Quentin-territory. This is going to be a ridiculously violent film which is basically driven by dialogue. Smart, sometimes untopical dialogue. I can't begin to imagine how new audiences would have felt back in 1992 when they watched this movie. I'm damn sure they wouldn't have seen anything like it. Quentin indulgently plunges into cinematic history by recreating iconic scenes from the movies you never saw. He basically brings homage to Hollywood, but his Reservoir Dogs is original and fresh, setting the standard for future Tarantino flicks. Anyone who comes out with a debut as bold as this one deserves their place in Hollywood's hall of fame.

Reservoir Dogs boasts a fantastic ensemble cast, which is made up entirely of males. It's hard to pick any stand outs, as they all take the script and digest it so well that it's like watching good cinema coming back to life. If I have anything bad to say about this film it's that like any debut feature, this film needed to be combed back a bit more, and definitely isn't as well put together as later Tarantino efforts like Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds. Sometimes the non-stop dialogue gets to be a bit tiresome, but all in all, Reservoir Dogs changed cinema, and I am eternally greatful for that.


THE VERDICT: Quentin Tarantino dares to do what others couldn't, and succeeded. Reservoir Dogs is a one stop shop for great performances, insane violence, clever scripting and a homage to what cinema really is.

8/10