A cop drama that looks like every cliché on paper—done with ingenuity and nearly flawless execution- a great film
Starts with bang– hand-held chase- a wild flashback in washed out color
Then at the inquest we have a tracking shot behind the head of Jason Patric – another really well-done sequence
Shallow focus flashback of the driving incident in the narrative—there are shadows under the bridge
Carnahan goes to fast-motion a few times
Carnahan’s stories are masculine—The Grey—violent, raw
Liotta is a wrecking ball—well-dressed, big and bloated, a bruiser—complex- a little like Russell Crowe’s Bud White in La Confidential—great shot of him between the bars at a dinner—one of Liotta’s best performances
A bad split screen interviewing people in Detroit montage
Location in Detroit is a character- dilapidated and abandoned– it is cold and gray out– never any sun—like NYC in the old Lumet and crime films in the 70’s—a character
Raw, lots of energy
The John Ortiz scene, pant-less, amazing- what a great 5 minute performance
Highlight of the film is a shot through the car window with reflections on both cops, trees and branches, it’s stunning. They are talking about their wives and it goes into a monologue from Liotta—great action and direction
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