L.A. Confidential
1997 · Directed by Curtis Hanson
Original language: English
- crime
- mystery
- thriller
The story
Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.
What it’s like
Hard-edged 1950s noir in a glossy, studio-polished Los Angeles: rain-slicked streets under sodium-vapour streetlamps, neon signs bleeding red and turquoise across wet asphalt, and interiors lit in warm amber and deep shadow with a sheen of period richness. The camera moves with unhurried confidence, favouring carefully composed two-shots and slow push-ins during interrogations, while the Jerry Goldsmith-influenced jazz-noir score swells and recedes behind clipped dialogue and the clatter of typewriters and cigarette lighters. The vibe is seductive and cynical, a gleaming surface with rot underneath. It suits a late evening alone, a rainy weekend, or a second watch when you want to savour the period detail and the crosscutting between characters. Pacing is deliberate, building to a long, layered reveal rather than constant action. Violence is real but not constant: there are shotgun killings, a brutal beating, and a few sudden jolts of gunfire, with blood shown plainly but never lingered on for gore. Sexual content is suggestive, with call girls and dressed-up nightclub scenes rather than explicit material, and domestic abuse is depicted with discomfort. Best for viewers who enjoy morally compromised men, ornate period style, and a whodunit that rewards close attention.
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