The Popkorn Junkie

When I first left the theatre after seeing "Narc", I had mixed feelings. It was just a weird film and it did not register immediately after the viewing. However, on the long drive home, I had time to reflect on the film and--by the time I arrived home--had reached the conclusion that "Narc" might be the best cop film of all-time, and that is a bold statement when you consider the plethora of fantastic cop films out there.

Jason Patric stars as Nick Tellis, an undercover narcotics officer with three things against him: (1) he is a recovering drug addict, (2) he is on probation after a tragic accident, and (3) he has been assigned to investigate the death of a fellow police officer. He is partnered with the deceased's former partner, Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), who is bloodthirsy for revenge. Patric represents the morality and the procedure in the investigation, as Liotta represents the corruption and 'by any means necessary' approach. This is very much like "Training Day". Liotta is Denzel Washington and Patric is Ethan Hawke. Eventually, their investigation leads them to a surprising conclusion. Sure, this is the same old story, but told with a fresh look, perfect directing, and two incredible performances from the two lead actors.

Now, I have always been a Ray Liotta fan. Jason Patric has never been my favorite, but I could tolerate him. When I found out Chi McBride was in this picture (he stars in my favorite TV show, "Boston Public"), I knew I was going to be enthralled. And, as I predicted, I was. I enjoyed how this film was a throwback to those cop films from the 1970's. The look is dark and gritty, and there is virtually no humor, which is something fresh considering there is usually a comic insert. I guess Busta Rhymes is suppose to be the comic relief, but there is very little room to laugh with ther seriousness all around. Liotta is just stone-cold vicious in quite possibly his best performance to date. He, along with numerous other actors I have mentioned recently in my reviews, deserves attention come Oscar time.

From what I have read, director Joe Carnahan let Liotta and Patric do a considerable amount of changes to their dialogue and even let them go toe to toe, improvising, in some scenes--trying to achieve that real-life affect. It worked. Some of their scenes together make the scenes in "Training Day" look like "Police Academy". Liotta is Washington's character on a bad day. Patric is Hawke's character on a bad day, but is still the peaceful policeman in this film. Chi McBride is the typical overbearing, always right chief who is always threatening and yelling. He does it well.

"Narc" surprised me. I was not expecting to walk out as unsure as I was, and I certainly wasn't expecting to finally reach the conclusion that is was the best cop film I had ever seen. I always thought "Copland" would hold that position for a long time. Alas, this is a truly powerful tale of corruption and redemption, entangled with a mystery and some intrigue. I don't know how wide of a release this film will receive, but if it comes near you, don't be afraid to dip your pen in some new and untested ink. You might be shocked to discover it writes pretty damn well.

-- Billy Ray ( 4 pops out of 4 pops )

Talk about this film with other Popkorn Junkies

Other Junkie's opinions.....

Mike ( 3 out of 4 pops )

I felt I had to take a shower after watching this gritty and grimy police drama which is a relentless downer from beginning to end. "NARC" makes the movie "Seven" seem like a comedy! Having said that, this is a most engrossing and effective cop film, mostly due to the riveting performances by the two main leads played by Jason Patric and Ray Liotta. I appreciated that the film put so much character development into the story so that the audience cares for these two people who are both deeply troubled and pained by past events. But there is also enough tension and action to make you not want to miss a second of what might happen next. But to repeat myself, Patric and Liotta are perfect in this movie and make their characters so believable and interesting. And while much of what happens in the movie we have seen countless times in other police dramas, these two actors manage to come up with original and most interesting characters.

Matt ( 3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

I was really looking forward to this movie because of all the hype from critics, the great word-of-mouth and the fact that I'm a huge Ray Liotta fan. Well, I'm deeply satisfied that "Narc" lived up to all my expectations. This is a gritty, powerful police drama that sucks its audience into the action. The cinematography and editing are both hugely engaging. The film was made on a shoestring budget, but the lack of money doesn't show one bit. And I'm not making an understatement when I use the word "shoestring." I heard, when Ray Liotta appeared on Conan O'Brien's show, that the budget was so low that in the scene where Liotta and Jason Patric go around the neighborhood, questioning people on the street, those weren't actors. The crew filmed the scenes from the window of a van, and the two actors would just question random people, who didn't even know they were in a movie! So it was great knowing that, as I was watching that scene. There's nothing more intense than watching Ray Liotta explode with rage during a scene (which he does A LOT throughout the film), but out of all his intense roles, this has to be the most intense and multi-dimensional. There are a couple of pivotal scenes that develop his character and explain why he is the way he is. Some may say that Liotta gaining that much weight (to the point where he's almost unrecognizable) for the role wasn't that important, but I think his obesity makes the character perfectly rounded (no pun intended), being that he's a jaded officer who's been on the force for years and years, and his life has gone through many downward spirals. Anyway, I think Liotta deserves an Oscar for his brilliant acting job, and it definitely equals Robin Williams' job in "One Hour Photo." Patric is good, though a better actor could've been chosen for his role. I don't have too many complaints about his performance, but I think they could've chosen someone else who might've expressed the characters' anguish more efficiently. The ending absolutely blew me away! It is one of the best powerhouse endings in the history of film, and that alone makes "Narc" a masterpiece! If you want to see a solid, character-driven police drama, you can't pick a better a film!