PDA

View Full Version : NARC


PorcheRacer
06-24-2003, 01:00 PM
http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/narc/_group_photos/jason_patric6.jpg

Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery/Thriller

Run Time: 1 hr. 45 min

MPAA: Rated R for strong brutal violence, drug content and pervasive language

Starring: Jason Patric, Ray Liotta, Busta Rhymes, Chi McBride, Richard Chevolleau

Directed by: Joe Carnahan

Plot: Eighteen months after the ill-fated chase that ends tragically with the death of a baby, undercover cop Nick Tellis (Patric) is hitting bottom. He is on probation and barely surviving on his small stipend. His wife is not eager for him to return to the force, but when an undercover cop is killed in the line of duty, he is summoned onto the case because of his invaluable understanding of the street. Teamed with Lt. Harry Oak (Liotta), the slain cop's partner known for his unconventional administration of justice, Tellis slips into old patterns as the underworld he knows too well ultimately sucks him in.

Review: An excellent cop thriller. It takes a story that has been told a million times before but mixes it up with great acting and a wonderfully dark and gritty feel. I loved the washed out blue and gray look the movie had. It's dark and violent...just they way I like it!

The acting is also one of the movies many strong points. Jason Patric is an extremely underrated actor that I hope to see more of in the future. I liked him in Sleepers and The Lost Boys but here he just blew me away.He gave a very sublte performance. On the outside, he looked cool, calm and collected but in his eyes you could tell there was alot going on. Jason Patric was great but nowhere near as great as Ray Liotta's powerhouse performance. He delivered the best performance of any movie last year and was robbed of a best supporting actor nomination. Everytime he was onscreen I was riveted to the seat. He defined the word intense. Busta Rymes gave a surprisingly good performance also. He's not in the movie much but his role his important nonetheless. The rest of the cast was solid too, not a bad actor in the bunch.

Like I mentioned above, Joe Carnahan's stylish directing really brought life into the "corrupt/undercover cop" story. I loved the use of the split screens and the blue on gray scenery. Nothing in this movie glistens or shines. It seems everything is dark and dirty. The movie moves along at a fast pace once Ray Liotta enters the picture. I must admit it was going rather slow at first but once the story gets going it doesn't slow down until the last shot. Speaking of the last shot, what a powerful one it is. I absolutley loved the ending. My hat goes off to Joe Carnahan.

The script was also written by Carnahan. The characters are well developed especially Oak and Tellis. We really get to know them as well as there back stories. I would have liked to know a bit more about Micheal Calvess and his wife. The dialogue was all natural and well written and sounded great coming out of the characters mouths. Also, the script is ripe with twists and turns. The whole mystery is well thought out and just when you think you have it all figured out…you really don’t.

Narc is an underrated near masterpiece. It has great acting, stylish directing, lots of twists and turns, a nice mystery and a thought provoking final frame. I highly recommend it despite being a bit hard to get into in the beginning. 9/10

Mark Caro (Chicago Tribune) – “A gritty cop movie for people who like gritty cop movies.”

Lou Lumenick (New York Post) - “Exciting but brutal.”

Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) “A cold, hard film about Detroit narcotics detectives.”

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008YJDK.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

MisterTwister
06-24-2003, 02:22 PM
Good review man. I have not checked it out yet but maybe i will. I do like Jason Patric cause The Lost Boys did kick ass. Video rental this will be? yes.

ilovemovies
06-24-2003, 08:41 PM
One of the best fims of 2002. A truly gripping and breathtaking and riveting opening scene. I love the look of the film. I thought Jason Patric and Ray Liotta were fantastic! They both deserved oscar nominations. And it had a really surprising ending.


* * * 1/2 ( out of * * * * )

Grade: A

Fettdog
06-26-2003, 05:47 PM
Another great review Porche! :) You really have a talent for this - maybe one day you'll be the next JoBlo! (j/k Jo ;) )

I've seen Narc and I really liked it - probably an 8/10 in my book but still a great little gritty thriller that's worth seeing.

Keep it up Champ! :D

AgentSmith
07-04-2003, 07:22 PM
Narc is one of those films, kind of like 15 Minutes for me, that will be loved by some and hated by some..

When this film opened, we saw a man named Tellis(Jason Patric in an excellently acted role) pursuing a criminal. Apon catching up with this criminal, he shoots his gun but, unfortunately, strikes a pregnant women. Tellis is put on probation for 1.5 years until his boss calls him back in... Enter Ray Liotta as Henry Oak.

Tellis is partnered with Oak in the hope that they will be able to capture the man who murdered Oak's former partner Clevess..

From the moment that these two are met on screen, the movie takes the viewer on a wild ride that may leave you in confusion and excitement.

The director, Joe Carnahan, is quite the director who, if he had more success, could become one of those directors that could blow up into an M.Night Shalmayan perhaps. The way he skillfully uses each location and scene to its fullest is amazing!

I highly recommend this film to ANYONE who enjoys gritty cop films!

8.5/10

Dignan
07-11-2003, 09:35 PM
Just finished watching Narc, and I must say I was very very impressed, moved, and above all enertained. Jason Patric does a great job as Nick, and the opening sequence with him chasing the baldheaded perp got my blood pumping like you wouldn't believe. I couldn't believe this was the same guy from Speed 2! AMAZING! And Ray Liotta- HOLY CRAP! HOLY CRAP! HOLY CRAP!
Ray gives a brilliant, rage laden performance and is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Did I mention he was brilliant? Well, if not, then yeah, he was. This movie makes Training Day seem like nothing but popcorn fluff.

And did I mentioned how stylistic this movie is? HOLY CRAPOLA!
It has style out the WAZOO. The split screen sequence, the flashbacks, the opening sequence, this fuels the fire of a great script. Add firey performances by the two leads, some realistic action and a nitty gritty Detroit winter atmosphere and you have ONE HELL OF A MOVIE.

9/10

I urge you to seek this movie out, you will not be sorry.

blankpage
07-14-2003, 05:20 PM
About as gritty as gritty can get. Very excellent movie, I'd watch it again.

8.5/10