Friday, November 7, 2008

COP LAND

USA 1997



Director James Mangold's Cop Land looks at a New Jersey town that's become a safe haven for corrupt New York City cops. Sheriff Freddy Heflin (Sylvester Stallone) turns a blind eye to some crimes, but when murder and cover-ups raise the stakes, Heflin must do the right thing. Cop Land gives Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta a chance to strut their stuff.
10/10



The first time I saw this film was when it first came out. I was 14 and I do not think my maturity level was high enough to really appreciate this film. Now at 25 going on 26 years old, I decided to watch it again without a preemptive research of the film. I had completely forgot the premise and just went with it. I WAS BLOWN AWAY. This movie is so good! I really fall hard for a cast of classic 4th quarter of the 20th century actors and this has a cast of some of Hollywood's best. Without exaggeration I was riveted, straight up. The corrupt seeds of an entire New York precinct planted and nurtured by the Mob in a small town across the bay from New York captured me. Some truth had to have been garnered from actual events to present such a controversial and realistically played out crime drama. Incredible performances! The intensity in the eyes of Ray Liotta, the fear and uncertainty in Michael Rappaport's dialog, the tension between Robert DeNiro and Harvey Keitel's character relationship, Janeane Garofalo's disappointment and embarrasment for Freddie Heflin, Annabella Sciorra's depressive and lonely aura, Peter Berg delivers an intermittent yet impacting force of all emotions, Robert Patrick just makes you hate him, so well! And Sly... STALLONE... You really feel for the guy, he's such a push over. His ability to turn the other cheek, knowing that what is going on and doing nothing about it, really sets up the climax of nearly no sound and all in slow motion. ABSOLUTELY GENIUS!

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