Directed By Gavin O’Connor
Written by Joe Carnahan & Gavin O’Connor
Stars: Colin Farrell, Edward Norton, Jon Voight, Noah Emmerich
Pacino’s Serpico wouldn’t take the money, McQueen’s Bullitt had integrity to a fault and Hackman’s Popeye Doyle worked the streets like a man possessed in order to discover The French Connection, but these stories are of another time, the ‘honest cop’ story feels worn and dull. Joe Carnahan’s 2004 cop drama Narc served up the same dog-eared scenario yet made it fresh and sharp. He scripted this latest offering for director Gavin O’Connor (the not-bad Kurt Russell starrer, Miracle), who is similarly paying tribute to the Sidney Lumet-style cop dramas of the 70’s.
Edward Norton is Ray Tierney, a burnt out cop on medical leave dragged back to active duty by his overbearing father Francis Snr (Jon Voight), to investigate the slaughter of four fellow cops. Oldest brother Francis Jnr (Noah Emmerich) and brother-in-law Jimmy Egan (Colin Farrell) are cops as well, so after some poking about, Ray discovers some loose ends that don’t add up, notably the dodgy dealings of Jimmy. As Ray’s investigation proceeds, he inadvertently picks a scab with a lot of pus and the film tumbles towards an inevitable conclusion.
As a drama, it’s too glum and worse, it doesn’t convince. Norton is solid, Voight is better than he’s been for a long time but Farrell’s Jimmy borders on caricature, a shame really as he proved how great he can be with the brilliant 'In Bruges'. O’Connor ratchets up Jimmy’s ugly methods with one interrogation scene featuring him threatening to steam iron a newborn baby’s face. It seems the 70’s film ethos escaped O’Connor, would it hurt to have some nuance?