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Besties: L.A. Confidential

The hard boiled hall of Besties takes in one of best modern noirs to date.

Video posted by JoeyF on Aug. 22, 2011

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Dig Deeper into L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential follows three distinctly different police officers as they each try to unmask the circumstances surrounding the mysterious mass-murder at the Nite Owl, a local coffee shop.

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62 Comments
TheHTon Aug. 22, 2011 at 2:42 a.m.
Ahh, I've been meaning to watch this for a while now.
cexantuson Aug. 22, 2011 at 2:48 a.m.
And to see how to improperly adapt a James Ellroy novel, just look at "Black Dahlia"
mbkishon Aug. 22, 2011 at 2:58 a.m.

Fuck yeah L.A. Confidential! I love how all the cops, even the ones who are clean, have their personal problems and conflicts to deal with. The thread of tension is constantly pulled taut and released; only to be pulled even tighter within minutes. Love the final shootout. Seems like the developers of L.A. Noire borrowed quite a bit from this film. Thanks guys.

CashBaileyon Aug. 22, 2011 at 2:59 a.m.

Incredible movie, with one of the worst endings of all time.

Seriously, while watching this I was sure I was seeing the equal to CHINATOWN. But then the coda came up and I was so disappointed.

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.
Russell Crowe should have been shot in the face and died. That's the way Ellroy ended it. Having him survive with just a cast and a bandage was pure Hollywood horseshit.

But beyond that, the fact that they managed to crack Ellroy's staggeringly complex plotting to make a movie as coherent and entertaining as this is an utter miracle of screenwriting. Not to mention getting the budget to realise it onscreen so well.

And, yes, Kim Basinger's Oscar was totally undeserving. She is decent for what her role required but she's surrounded by incendiary performances from the rest of the cast, so I suppose that made her look good.

Tomrockon Aug. 22, 2011 at 3:12 a.m.
Watched this after playing LA Noire fairly recently, my mind was blown
salmyon Aug. 22, 2011 at 3:26 a.m.

I might have to check this out now. I've always put it off because the marketing made it look like a campy movie like Chicago or something.

MrWrighton Aug. 22, 2011 at 3:46 a.m.
This is one of my all time favorite crime films and is a thrilling watch. Well deserving of being in the besties.
Kovskion Aug. 22, 2011 at 4:52 a.m.
I never really liked L.A. Confidential, I find that the whole comic noir setting makes everything happening in the film feel disconnected since I just can't take anything of it serious so when they try to have that whole twist at the end I just find myself not caring. It's perhaps a good movie to some, but for me: I just can't see pass the whole comedic lines everyone blurts out all the time and that just make this one an average comedy for me.
CashBaileyon Aug. 22, 2011 at 4:54 a.m.

@Kovski said:

I never really liked L.A. Confidential, I find that the whole comic noir setting makes everything happening in the film feel disconnected since I just can't take anything of it serious so when they try to have that whole twist at the end I just find myself not caring. It's perhaps a good movie to some, but for me: I just can't see pass the whole comedic lines everyone blurts out all the time and that just make this one an average comedy for me.

'Comedy'?

Wow...

Tartaruson Aug. 22, 2011 at 5:17 a.m.
Great film and one of the best surprises I have had watching a movie without any knowledge of it before hand when I caught it on TV one night.  It was good to get it on DVD with the release of LA Noire. I didn't know Kim Basinger won an Oscar for it though that seems like a bizarre choice and the cover is funny to look at today simply because it has Crowe and Pierce tucked away in the back.
CashBaileyon Aug. 22, 2011 at 5:21 a.m.

I love that the 'twist' of L.A. CONFIDENTIAL...

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.
...was completely ripped off later for Spielberg's MINORITY REPORT. I laughed my ass off.
JeanLucon Aug. 22, 2011 at 5:44 a.m.
@Tomrock said:
Watched this after playing LA Noire fairly recently, my mind was blown
Same. Great game and a great movie!
Captain_Insanoon Aug. 22, 2011 at 6:14 a.m.

Great movie, want to watch it again now after this Bestie reminded me of it. Have it sitting on my DVD shelf.

SpottyMauriceon Aug. 22, 2011 at 6:34 a.m.

Another eloquent synopsis from Rorie and a well deserved Bestie for L.A Confidential.  
@CashBailey: You are dead right about the intricate plotting; this film balances complexity and entertainment value in a very deft manner and stands up to repeat viewings.      
   
@Kovski:  While the dialogue has its own idiosyncratic style I would not call it comic (and certainly not the films overall tone).  The writers intentionally gave all the authentic 50s slang to the tabloid journalist Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito's character) to avoid the rest of the cast sounding too cheesy.
PatVB moderator on Aug. 22, 2011 at 6:41 a.m.

@wasteguru said:

@Tomrock said:
Watched this after playing LA Noire fairly recently, my mind was blown
Same. Great game and a great movie!

Ha, I did the same thing a few weeks ago! What a great movie/game!

@Kovski: I don't remember there being much comedy in LA Confidential...are you sure you're thinking of the right movie?

Veektariuson Aug. 22, 2011 at 6:48 a.m.
This is my favorite movie so I'm glad you're recognizing it.
JayDubyaon Aug. 22, 2011 at 6:51 a.m.

Like many commenters before me I watched this movie again in and around the time L.A. Noire was released and it remains one of the best crime movies.

Tuffgongon Aug. 22, 2011 at 7:06 a.m.

Just finished Max Payne recently and although LA Noir would have been the much more thematic companion, my mind is still in noir all the same.

RhombusOfTerroron Aug. 22, 2011 at 7:18 a.m.

Ahaaa, Rorie's a Joy Formidable fan :D.

Spiritofon Aug. 22, 2011 at 7:21 a.m.

I think you should have your "Film Fan" club card revoked if you haven't seen and enjoyed L.A. Confidential.

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