A few months back, I was fortunate enough to speak with Sean Astin. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past three decades, Astin has starred in a plethora of memorable classics. With his mother being the late Patty Duke (Oscar winner – The Miracle Worker), he had large shoes to fill. Starting off with a bang, Astin, in his early teenage years, took on the role of Mikey in Richard Donner’s 1985 fantasy flick The Goonies. Following this, he has continued making wonderful motion pictures, including 1993’s Rudy, 1998’s Bulworth, as well as playing the beloved role of Samwise Gamgee in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He also showed off his comedic talents in 2004’s 50 First Dates and 2006’s Click. He has also conquered the television world, portraying Lynn McGill in ‘Day 5’ of 24 (a very strong season), as well as Jim Kent in Guillermo del Toro’s The Strain.
Clearly a fan of all motion pictures, Astin relished the question of ‘what is your favourite film?’. The actor highlighted Ridley Scott’s historical epic Gladiator as being a superb film (claiming to have seen it millions of times!). To offset the emotional heft of that movie, he then referenced Hitch as being a great modern comedy. Two others that he says he loves, as they juxtapose each other, are Gandhi and Patton (one, capturing the power of peace, while the other demonstrates the messed up, doom-laden craziness that is war). Lawrence of Arabia also cropped up in our conversation. Providing me with the option of selecting any as his top pick, I chose L.A. Confidential – the film he spoke about the longest. Telling me that he procured his B.A. in History, he spoke of one of his favourite courses that looked at the two-sided nature of California. Astin mentioned that the state contains both beauty and darkness; consisting of stunning weather and a lovely soft light; he then pointed to the seedy, dark side that lay just beneath the surface of The Golden State. He says that perhaps no movie better encapsulates this dichotomous battle of light versus dark than the 1997 modern take on film noir, L.A. Confidential.
Both directed and written by Curtis Hanson (adapting James Ellroy’s novel with the help of Brian Helgeland), the filmmaker takes us back to the Los Angeles police department of the 1950s. Highlighting the aspects Astin referenced, the movie begins with on-again, off-again narrator Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) pitching the city’s good and bad. Hudgens can only be described as a sleazy rag mag man, always exploiting people to get the best ‘hush hush’ stories for his tabloid.
The story takes the risk of having three main characters (and succeeds because of it). Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a narcotics officer who has lost his way. A dirty cop, who is more interested in making the press clippings by busting celebrities rather than targeting hardened drug dealers, he teams up with Hudgens – making the newspapers and pocketing some dough on the side, while the writer gains a slanderous story/photos for his magazine. Feeding into his drive for fame, he works as an advisor for the police drama Badge of Honor (a show that makes L.A cops look like the epitome of honesty), starring Brett Chase (Matt McCoy – Lloyd Braun of Seinfeld fame).
Bud White (Russell Crowe) is a pitbull of a man. Physically domineering, he is the type of officer who will do anything to get the arrest (as the ends justify the means). Coming from a rough past, the man despises men who abuse women, leaving him with a fragile weakness just below the gruff surface. This can be seen when he confronts two men who have a bruised and bandaged woman, who looks like Rita Hayworth, in their back seat. The driver is a former cop, Leland ‘Buzz’ Meeks (Darrell Sandeen), while the man in the back is a wealthy socialite by the name of Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn). A woman named Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger) – who White had just met in a liquor store (as he was picking up booze for the office Christmas party), is able to calm the riled man before he snaps.
Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is the straight man with something to prove (as his father was a beloved Los Angeles cop – shot down by an unapprehended and unknown thug whom Exley terms ‘Rolo Tomasi’). Despite the fact that he is not willing to break the rules in the name of getting the job done, he is a bright, politically savvy officer who has the drive to move up the food chain – which isolates him from other officers. Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) is not sure he has what it takes to be a detective, unlike White, whom he respects for getting the job done.
The complex storyline intertwines the three mens’ journeys (White and Exley despise each other) with numerous crimes that all somehow seem to fit together. Director Hanson carefully unfurls the story, allowing us to watch as the three main characters slowly transform over time. Vincennes begins to investigate a secretive club named Fleur-de-Lis, that will give its exclusive clientele anything they desire. He is embroiled in a set-up with Hudgens, as they scheme to use disgraced actor Matt Reynolds (Simon Baker) in a homosexual affair with district attorney Ellis Loew (Ron Rifkin). After things take a shocking turn, Vincennes starts to clean up his act, trailing the breadcrumbs to discover the mystery behind it all.
Following the firing of his partner, Dick Stensland (Graham Beckel) – to cover up for police abuse, and the arrest of big time gangster Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle), Captain Smith hires White on the down low as his muscle – meant to rough up infringing criminals as they try to take over Cohen’s racket.
After a vile multi-homicide at the Nite Owl diner (one of the dead is White’s former partner), it becomes personal for the man, despite the fact that Smith and Exley are in charge of the case. Though everything seems to be solved in a neat little package, Exley and White both investigate further, as something seems off with the whole thing. White is eventually led back to wealthy Pierce Patchett, a seedy businessman who his hand in all things shady. White tracks down his employee, Bracken, who works as a celebrity-lookalike prostitute (resembling Veronica Lake). The two begin a love affair, which softens the rugged man.
Exley, the straight man, begins to be corrupted by the power of advancing in the ranks – and starts to lose his way. Affairs are had, the body count quickly adds up, and unexpected alliances are made (and broken) as things become ominously hairy for the three L.A. detectives.
From a modern perspective, L.A. Confidential has a dream cast. Though, at the time, Spacey’s stardom was just taking hold (having just won an Oscar for The Usual Suspects), while Crowe and Pearce were two Australian unknowns. With roles to sink their teeth into, this is the film that shot them to fame. Each star does a wonderful job with their meaty and very different roles. Likewise, supporting performers Cromwell (tough, rugged and tough to read), Basinger (sultry, sexy, fragile and fierce), DeVito (the slimiest of individuals) and Strathairn (an interesting mix of wealthy socialite and sleazy businessman) perfectly capture their characters.
Much like Astin pointed out, L.A. Confidential does a great job illustrating the juxtaposition of the city and state. Hanson depicts the beauty of the locale, filming it with the soft California light, as well as capturing all of the glitz, glamour and beauty found in the city (including the people). Yet, just below the bewitching facade, we are witness to its seedy underbelly. Murders, dirty cops, perfect looking celebrities doing dubious deeds, sleazy opportunists, and shady criminal activities are all on display here. There is a whole history of these activities, with countless books written on the subject – this film is a wonderful entry point for those who are interested in delving deeper into the duality of Los Angeles and Hollywood.
With the story feeling very much like an old time film noir, Hanson makes the decision of filming it like a modern movie. His style very much opposes the classic aesthetic, though his choice gives the motion picture a much more current vibe – allowing it to reach a bigger audience. Utilizing a lot of tight shots, he provides his actors with a chance to shine – and they do.
Winning two Academy Awards (one for Kim Basinger, the other for Best Adapted Screenplay – for Hanson and Helgeland), L.A. Confidential is a wonderful example of the neo-noir genre. Finding its place amongst other post 50s flicks like Chinatown and Blade Runner (to name but two), it highlights how the film noir genre has transformed and existed, though sporadically, post 1958. Containing an excellent story, superb acting, well-paced direction and a solid score from Jerry Goldsmith, it allows itself to be placed along with other greats from the past, while also making us yearn for other pictures to tackle the risky, bleak and jaded subject matter. So, don’t keep this one confidential, leak it, so that everyone can enjoy this thrilling motion picture.
Right on the money. One of my favourite flicks in the same style as Blue Velvet. Film noir has its own class of movie making that keeps the viewer engaged wanting to know what is going to happen next. A dark side to everything and a good side.