Movie Review: Brooklyn’s Finest
Movie Review: Brooklyn’s Finest
By Chandra and Charles
*Spoiler Alert*
Tonight Charles and I saw Brooklyn’s Finest and left the movie theater with different opinions and feelings about this movie. Over dinner we discussed the scenes we liked, the actors, who performed and the resolutions of the storylines in the movie itself.
Chandra: So what did you think?
Charles: I enjoyed the movie for the actors, they brought the intensity to their roles.
Chandra: Really? I wouldn’t have called it intensity…
Charles: Well, to be honest, the script was the typical vignette of corruption, redemption, and loyalty. Plots, we’ve seen a thousand times - but - I felt the acting was good enough to make us not see that.
Chandra: This movie to me was like The Wire Redux. Only HBO’s The Wire actually had a soul. In many ways it seemed like a bunch of movies rolled up into this one on top of that, like Training Day, Crash, um… Should I go on?
Charles: No, you don’t have to but I just want to point out that this movie portrayed three cops facing personal challenges in their lives. For example, in one story line, a cop was so desperate to find a home for his growing family that he took liberties that he shouldn’t have.
Chandra: Oh you mean Sal? Sal just gave me heebie-jeebies. Ethan Hawke, considering his squeaky clean image did a bang up job of playing a low-life police officer. To be honest, I felt let down by many of the characters. Definitely I was happy to see my folks from The Wire, but if I wanted to see The Wire I would have watched The Wire. How many booty clubs, drug raids, and corrupt commissioners can you rehash? And, I know I’m going on here, but bear with me. Wesley. Oh, Wesley. I had high hopes for the brother in this movie. I wanted him to bring Nino Brown, and he did not. He could have brought back Nino, just once.
Charles: Here’s the thing. If you came in expecting Nino Brown to return, then I can see why you would be disappointed. However, I thought Wesley’s character of a released drug dealer who wanted out of the game showed a different side to a stereotypical role like that.
Chandra: Well, I’m sorry but I was looking for some Nino Brown level drama. Moving on though, I sensed a little Crash-y-ness in the end. Did you?
Charles: The final scene was a bit predictable I admit but Richard Gere’s, Don Cheadle’s, and Ethan Hawke’s roles had me pinned to the edge of my seat because of the situations they were in. Granted the ending was over the top, but the intensity from each of them, convinced me what they felt was real and I was on a rollercoaster ride to the very end.
Chandra: Intensity. Roller-coaster. Is that why I felt nauseous watching it? Or was it the oversized movie screen and watching Ethan-as-Sal sweat and chain smoke? Hmm. Hey, did you notice the stereotypical Latina, with 'Ay Papi' every other sentence? And why did she, the only brown woman with a speaking role end up being a prostitute? I don’t know Charles, I just don’t know. I didn’t hate the movie but I believe it definitely doesn’t live up to the hype.
Charles: It didn’t have to. I mean, it’s a cop movie! They are not known for their deeply intellectual, philosophical point of view. That being said, this movie was a look at a system that fails the police who work in it. Maybe not Wire-like, but nevertheless, these cops were all faced with decisions that had serious impacts on their lives. For example, Gere’s character turns out slightly better than when he started.
Chandra: In all fairness, I can’t compare a roughly two hour movie with a multiple season cop drama (yes, I’m talking once again about The Wire so stop rolling your eyes) that just happens to be one of my favorite shows of all time. Also, perhaps it is best to let Nino Brown rest. After all, this is a post New Jack city movie. But, I thought what could have been a gripping drama that left me thinking about the characters long after the credits rolled, turned out to be a circular, cyclical, predictable, bloody mess. So Charles, if you had to rate this movie on a scale of 1 to 10, what would you rate it?
Charles: I’d give it an 8 for the acting over a predictable script. Again, I believe the passion, in Gere’s Cheadle’s, and Hawke’s roles were gripping enough to hold my interest. Wesley’s role wasn’t bad, it was Nino Brown light, but very believable and real.
Chandra: I would give this movie a 6.5 on the high side. Its predictability, too much dialogue, very sweaty, and in the end sickeningly bloody attributes made it hard for me to watch without a smirk.
By Chandra and Charles
*Spoiler Alert*
Tonight Charles and I saw Brooklyn’s Finest and left the movie theater with different opinions and feelings about this movie. Over dinner we discussed the scenes we liked, the actors, who performed and the resolutions of the storylines in the movie itself.
Chandra: So what did you think?
Charles: I enjoyed the movie for the actors, they brought the intensity to their roles.
Chandra: Really? I wouldn’t have called it intensity…
Charles: Well, to be honest, the script was the typical vignette of corruption, redemption, and loyalty. Plots, we’ve seen a thousand times - but - I felt the acting was good enough to make us not see that.
Chandra: This movie to me was like The Wire Redux. Only HBO’s The Wire actually had a soul. In many ways it seemed like a bunch of movies rolled up into this one on top of that, like Training Day, Crash, um… Should I go on?
Charles: No, you don’t have to but I just want to point out that this movie portrayed three cops facing personal challenges in their lives. For example, in one story line, a cop was so desperate to find a home for his growing family that he took liberties that he shouldn’t have.
Chandra: Oh you mean Sal? Sal just gave me heebie-jeebies. Ethan Hawke, considering his squeaky clean image did a bang up job of playing a low-life police officer. To be honest, I felt let down by many of the characters. Definitely I was happy to see my folks from The Wire, but if I wanted to see The Wire I would have watched The Wire. How many booty clubs, drug raids, and corrupt commissioners can you rehash? And, I know I’m going on here, but bear with me. Wesley. Oh, Wesley. I had high hopes for the brother in this movie. I wanted him to bring Nino Brown, and he did not. He could have brought back Nino, just once.
Charles: Here’s the thing. If you came in expecting Nino Brown to return, then I can see why you would be disappointed. However, I thought Wesley’s character of a released drug dealer who wanted out of the game showed a different side to a stereotypical role like that.
Chandra: Well, I’m sorry but I was looking for some Nino Brown level drama. Moving on though, I sensed a little Crash-y-ness in the end. Did you?
Charles: The final scene was a bit predictable I admit but Richard Gere’s, Don Cheadle’s, and Ethan Hawke’s roles had me pinned to the edge of my seat because of the situations they were in. Granted the ending was over the top, but the intensity from each of them, convinced me what they felt was real and I was on a rollercoaster ride to the very end.
Chandra: Intensity. Roller-coaster. Is that why I felt nauseous watching it? Or was it the oversized movie screen and watching Ethan-as-Sal sweat and chain smoke? Hmm. Hey, did you notice the stereotypical Latina, with 'Ay Papi' every other sentence? And why did she, the only brown woman with a speaking role end up being a prostitute? I don’t know Charles, I just don’t know. I didn’t hate the movie but I believe it definitely doesn’t live up to the hype.
Charles: It didn’t have to. I mean, it’s a cop movie! They are not known for their deeply intellectual, philosophical point of view. That being said, this movie was a look at a system that fails the police who work in it. Maybe not Wire-like, but nevertheless, these cops were all faced with decisions that had serious impacts on their lives. For example, Gere’s character turns out slightly better than when he started.
Chandra: In all fairness, I can’t compare a roughly two hour movie with a multiple season cop drama (yes, I’m talking once again about The Wire so stop rolling your eyes) that just happens to be one of my favorite shows of all time. Also, perhaps it is best to let Nino Brown rest. After all, this is a post New Jack city movie. But, I thought what could have been a gripping drama that left me thinking about the characters long after the credits rolled, turned out to be a circular, cyclical, predictable, bloody mess. So Charles, if you had to rate this movie on a scale of 1 to 10, what would you rate it?
Charles: I’d give it an 8 for the acting over a predictable script. Again, I believe the passion, in Gere’s Cheadle’s, and Hawke’s roles were gripping enough to hold my interest. Wesley’s role wasn’t bad, it was Nino Brown light, but very believable and real.
Chandra: I would give this movie a 6.5 on the high side. Its predictability, too much dialogue, very sweaty, and in the end sickeningly bloody attributes made it hard for me to watch without a smirk.
posted by Northbaywriter | 9:41 PM
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