Movie Minx

Starring: Kim Basinger, Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce
Directed by: Curtis Hansen (who also directed 8 Mile)

Plot: A shooting at an all-night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways. Corrupt underbelly of ’50s LA is revealed.

But is it any good?

I re-watched LA Confidential last night for this first time since the 20th century, and yes, it is extremely good. You have to pay close attention at first to work out who’s who, but then the plot grips you so tightly you’re hooked for the rest of the film.

And what film could go wrong with Spacey, Crowe and Pearce working together before they all went on to bigger roles? Of course, Russ the Muss went on to Gladiator (”My name is Marcus Aurilius Maximus Beatnix”), and his temper later proved that rough-but-vulnerable Bud White, with his tendency to finish off people who make him mad, wasn’t so far removed from himself. Not that he’s a killer, of course.

Spacey would go on to play the guy lusting after his daughter’s friend covered in rose petals in American Beauty, and Pearce would make the backwards film Memento. But at this stage he was mostly known for playing banal Mike in Aussie soap Neighbours and flexing as a body builder.

In terms of little gold men, Basinger won Best Supporting Actress (was she REALLY in her mid-40s when this was filmed?) and the rest weren’t even nominated. I know Titanic swept the Oscars that year, but surely that left the acting nods open (”I’ll never let go, Jack”)? Criminal.

Anyway, it was interesting to watch this on the heels of Chinatown last week, as they’re both of a similar noir style and both set in LA. I preferred this because it has an extremely taltented group actors, vibrant characters and a snappier plot, despite its 2.5 hour length. As the cops investigate the Night Owl case we get to know all the characters’ motives, fears and secrets. There are whores cut to look like film stars, gay wannabe actors found with their throats slit, trigger-happy cops, a young recruit who wants to prove he’s as good as his dead father was, corrupt government officials and smutty rag reporters.

Not to forget Rolo Tomasi.

See it if you haven’t already. It’s a great film.

IMDb’s rating: 8.4/10
My rating: 9.5/10

Next movie to be reviewed: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

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