Holiday Special: L.A. Confidential

Happy holidays on the Hush-Hush

L.A. Confidential (1997): As corruption grows in 1950s LA, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justic.

Happy holidays everyone! I'm back with my own special brand of celebrating the season-taking a look at a film that is only covertly about Christmas. This year, I'm taking a look at L.A. Confidential ,which is a pillar of the film noir genre. And for good reason! This film is an obvious classic-from the fantastic noir sets and lighting to wonderful acting from a strong cast, L.A. Confidential keeps viewers on their toes from start with the famous "Bloody Christmas" to its equally bloody finish. I will never forget watching this film for the first time and being caught completely off guard by the main twist. The big twist here is a major boost to the longevity of the film, as it makes you want to immediately rewatch it and watch the film with your friends and family. While there are a lot of great moments in this film, this moment is definitely stands above and beyond as one of the great moments of American cinema.

I could go on and on with a glowing review of arguably the last great noir film, but it's late and I'm ready for bed becasue I'm an old person. However, I will hit the one problem I have with this film. I have a major issue with the fate of Russell Crowe's character. If you haven't seen this film I won't go any further into it so as to not spoil, but his fate was definitely the biggest misstep here and goes against the overall vibe of the film to that point. But beyond that, you'll be on the edge of your seat from start to finish. I would even recommend this as a great starter film for those looking to get into the noir genre. It would definitely be easier to start with something like this versus something like The Third Man. Ok that's all I have for my quick review. Enjoy the rest of the holiday season everyone! I'll be back very soon with more reviews!

Oh, and, this film is WAY better than Titanic. Just saying.

The Critique: L.A. Confidential is a pillar of American cinema with brillaint execution all around.

The Recommendation: A must-see.

Rewatchability: High

The Verdict: 9/10 Awesome.