Cop Land

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Shawn R A very gritty and suspenseful movie.. absolutely loved it! Recommend! Best ever movie about corrupt cops! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/14/24 Full Review Matthew D Perhaps the greatest film about police corruption I’ve ever seen. Director James Mangold’s crime drama Cop Land (1997) is like a dark and gritty nightmare of police corruption. Cop Land reminded me of The New Centurions, Serpico, Donnie Brasco, and Training Day. Mangold’s direction is stylish and mesmerizing. He lingers on hard looks between shady figures that tell the whole story. Cop Land demonstrates how corrupt New York police officers can get away with various crimes by living in the small New Jersey town and commuting to work. They build up a community of like-minded cops, all capable of corruption and cover-ups. Writer James Mangold delivers a hard hitting script with deep characters and a bleak worldview. Mangold gave us a brilliant screenplay that dives deep and feels ponderous, giving serious contemplation towards the lack of ethics in the New York police force. He doesn’t shy away from any form of police corruption from bribery, blackmail, mob ties, murder, fudging reports, drug addiction, alcoholism, domestic violence, or planting evidence. I’m impressed how both his direction and writing feel inspired by small town Westerns like Unforgiven, The Quick and The Dead, Tombstone, or High Noon. It’s like there’s one decent man in a town full of crooks who has to stand tall against corruption. No wonder Mangold eventually directed Logan. Casting directors Todd M. Thaler and Gayle Keller cast a killer ensemble of character actors to portray all these sinister officers. Sylvester Stallone is fantastic as the quiet and understated local Jersey Sheriff Freddy Heflin. Stallone is excellent with a likable subtle performance as his Sheriff goes from cowardly and complicit to brave. I really enjoyed seeing Stallone take on a real role up against dramatic heavyweights like Keitel, Liotta, and De Niro. Stallone starts out silent and observing, then feeling down after getting insulted by everyone for being so passive, he finally courageously stands up for himself and justice. Harvey Keitel is amazing as the ruthless New York Police Lieutenant Ray Donlan. He is intimidating as he uses all his powers to command the other cops around him. Keitel is captivating and scary. Ray Liotta is excellent and entertaining as the cocaine addicted Officer Gary "Figgsy" Figgis. His hard conversations with Stallone really bring out each other’s character personalities. He’s paranoid and on edge. Liotta delivers the reality of the dire situation that Stallone’s Sheriff Freddy is in truthfully. Robert De Niro is fascinating as the Internal Affairs Lieutenant Moe Tilden. His blunt speech to try and get Stallone to act for the sake of justice and being a real cop is inspired. De Niro approaches his acting with a cold methodical style that’s like the opposite of Keitel’s firebrand menace. Peter Berg is great as the mean and abusive Officer Joey Randone, who Stallone is jealous of for his wife. Janeane Garofalo is very funny as the newer Deputy Sheriff Cindy Betts. Robert Patrick is cruel and abrasive as Officer Jack Rucker. Michael Rapaport is funny as the idiotic Officer Murray "Superboy" Babitch. Annabella Sciorra is lovely as Joey’s sorrowful wife Liz Randone, who Stallone’s Freddy once saved. Sciorra and Stallone have cute chemistry in their honest talks together. She feels so tender and natural. Noah Emmerich is solid as Deputy Sheriff Bill Geisler. He comes across as friendly and honest. Cathay Moriarty is delightful as her usual hardened lady as Rose Donlan. Frank Vincent is amusing in his appearance as PDA President Vince Lassaro. Malik Yoba is good too as Detective Carson. Edie Falco gets a tough cameo as Bomb Squad Agent Berta. Mel Gorham is touching as Liotta’s girlfriend Monica Lopez. Paul Herman is funny as the cynical carnival worker. Paul Calderón is awesome as the upset Paramedic Hector. Method Man cameos as the crazy rooftop perp Shondel. Frank Pellegrino’s no nonsense Mayor of New York is a riot. I liked seeing a picture cameo of Tony Sirico, of The Sopranos fame, as Salvatore "Toy" Torillo. Editor Craig McKay’s steady cuts keep the story going, but also allow us to see the dynamic between the local police and the violent New York Police Department guys, hellbent on getting away with murder. Cinematographer Eric Alan Edwards uses all these incredible close-up shots on faces and medium shots of cops glaring at each other with suspicions to tell us who suspects who. Composer Howard Shore’s film score is really great and ominous. The soundtrack features Bruce Springsteen prominently. Costume designer Ellen Lutter dresses up all the local cops in their uniforms and the corrupt New York police in fancier street clothes to show off their corruption like they’re on the take. Makeup artist Lori Hicks, Judy Lovell, Michele Paris, Scott H. Eddo, and Steven Lawrence give everyone a gritty look. Hairstylists Judi Goodman, Joseph Coscia, Ilona Herman, and Francesca Paris give the actors rough haircuts. I like the flowing hairstyles for the actresses. In short, Cop Land is a brutal masterpiece of a crime drama from a young James Mangold. This film is simply awesome with outstanding dramatic acting from the all star cast. 104 minutes of pure tension. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/25/24 Full Review Der I Famous actors in a western like setting. Not mindcrushing but solid action. Best scene: Robert de Niro two weeks later. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/19/24 Full Review Ian K Despite the amazing cast I turned if off after about 20mins. Boring. Very disappointed. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review Forrest S A great underdog story about sticking to your morals and making things right. The acting is absolutely superb from an all-star cast. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/15/24 Full Review Dave C A great cop crime thriller with plenty of action, a good cast, and a solid enough story. The more emotive passages lack depth of feeling, in true 90's action movie fashion, but at least Stallone really gives a good effort, unlike many of his other movies Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/16/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Cop Land

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