72. L.A. Confidential (1997) - Curtis Hanson
L.A. Confidential (1997) - Curtis HansonA shooting at an all night diner is investigated by three LA policemen in their own unique ways. It was said that James Ellroy's book L.A. Confidential was un-filmable, it couldn't be done . Well in 1997 the movie was made and a flurry of Oscar wins and nominations came with it (If it wasn't for Titanic scooping everything in site it would have won more). The movie of course is set in Los Angeles in the 1950's and revolves around three cops who are all trying to get ahead to solve the case of a mass murder at the Night Owl coffee shop. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is the bully cop, Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is by the book but cold and calculating and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) a celebrity cop with a string of high profile arrests and he just loves the media attention. Danny Devito narrates the film which gives it a nice tone throughout and there is some great turns from James Cromwell as the police captain and Kim Basinger as the alluring hooker and femme fatale figure. Curtis Hanson's direction of the film is smooth and confident, he lets the movie flow and the characters breath on screen. The set design is amazing, you truly believe you are in the world of the 1950's but the actors should also get credit as none of them act or sound out of place in this world. L.A. Confidential is a gritty and classic film noir tale about corruption and murder that is truly one of the best character driven scripts I've ever seen adapted on film. It's the 90's version of Chinatown, which sadly they don't make enough of these days.