Film: L.A. Confidential
Director: Curtis Hanson
Country: UK
Released: May 1997
Runtime: 138 minutes
Genre: Film Noir
Studio: Regency Enterprises
Influenced: Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson, Martin McDonagh, Nicolas Winding Refn, Frank Miller
L.A. Confidential reinvigorated film noir in the 1990s, paying homage to the classic genre while also updating it for a modern audience. Many of the traditional themes and aspects of film noir are here, such as the intricate plot, complex characters, voiceover narration, moody lighting, femme fatale and general sense of moral ambiguity. One of the film's greatest strengths is the source material, with the film adapted from James Ellroy's 1990 detective novel of the same name, a complex process involving several screenwriters and significant narrative changes. Director and screenwriter Curtis Hanson and co-writer Brian Helgeland crafted a screenplay that retained the central themes and characters while making the narrative more cinematic and coherent. The film paid great attention to historical accuracy in terms of set design, costumes and depicting 1950s Los Angeles.
L.A. Confidential's plot revolves around three very different officers in the L.A. Police Department: Bud White (Russell Crowe), Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey). Each officer is dealing with their own moral dilemmas and issues as they navigate the corrupt and dangerous world of the LAPD. The film's central plot involves a mass murder at a local diner, leading the three officers to discover a web of corruption, organised crime and political influence within the police department. Their paths intersect as they uncover secrets and work to bring justice to a city where corruption and racism run deep. Captain Dudley Smith, played by the magnificent James Cromwell, is the personal embodiment of the systemic corruption within the LAPD, while the character of Sid Hudgens, a scandal-hungry journalist played by Danny DeVito, represents the seedy underbelly of celebrity culture. His character was loosely based on real-life tabloid journalist Sidney Skolsky.
Crowe underwent some basic police training to prepare for his role and to understand the mindset and physicality required to be an 1950s LA cop, include familiarising himself with police procedures, firearms handling and fitness exercises. The "Bloody Christmas" scene, where Bud White confronts abusive fellow officers, is a pivotal moment that sets the tone for the film, highlighting the moral conflict between White and Exley, who represent different approaches to law enforcement. White is initially seen as an enforcer of brutal tactics, while Exley is portrayed as an idealistic, by-the-book officer. White's love affair with Lynn Bracken reveals White's vulnerability and desire for a more meaningful connection, and her profession as a high-end call girl who resembles Veronica Lake becomes a key element in the central mystery of the film. The resolution of their love affair is intricately tied to the film's climax.
The climactic confrontation in the abandoned Victory Motel is a key moment of reckoning for the characters and the city. L.A. Confidential was widely praised for its performances, screenplay and the way it reinvigorated the film noir genre, but it was not a huge box office hit on its release. The film went on to receive 9 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Kim Basinger won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Lynn Bracken, a performance that adds emotional depth to the story, while the film also won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. As well as cementing the status of Basinger and Spacey in the Hollywood firmament, the film was also a breakthrough moment for its two Australian leading men, Crowe and Pearce. Director Hanson also went on to have further success, notably in the early 2000s with the release of Wonder Boys (2000) and Eminem biopic, 8 Mile (2002).
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