Rating: 
Summary: Liked the movie, loved the book
Review: I have been a fan of Ellroy for many years and was so happy this movie was made with such heart and glory. All the acting is great. I loved the recreation of old L.A. In the light of the Rampart scandal, this film is even more timely.
Rating: 
Summary: This emperor has no clothes
Review: I was moved to rent this flick after watching James Lipton slobber all over Kim Basinger on Bravo's Actors' Studio.What a letdown. Although supposedly set in the 50's, this movie was intended to invoke the nostalgia for film noir, and ride that wave to big box office receipts. Where to begin? The flat color of LA Confidential does no homage to the brilliant black-and-white work of true film noir. Outdoor time-placing was accomplished by setting a fedora-ed, wide-lapel-ed guy in a vintage car, in front of some LA neon. It was always a tight shot, to avoid revealing the Taco Bell lurking next door. The indoor scenes were littered appropriately with old fans and furniture, Remington typewriters, etc. The cops were all given a wounded-child persona, which, I suppose, was meant to give a psychological edge to their characters. Pure cardboard. None, NONE, of the characters were worthy of any empathy. How can a movie connect with an audience like that? Kim Basinger is a major babe, and, from what I hear, a wonderful person. But she is, alas, a so-so actress. She supposedly researched the hell outa Veronica Lake, yet failed completely to capture that lady's smoldering sexuality. More cardboard. Danny DeVito plays an oily little rat. So what else is new? Oily cardboard. James Cromwell's brogue (Scottish, Irish?) waxes and wanes comically throughout the movie. The patois splattered throughout the dialogue was derived from every decade EXCEPT the 50's. The identity of the Big Baddie was telegraphed the moment he appeared on the scene.. No suspense there. No chemistry between the femme fatale and her amours. None, zip, zero, nada. Of course there was plenty of shotgun-toting and gore, bodies splattered everywhere. A distraction from the total lack of a worthy story? I kept thinking of a vastly superior cops-gone-bad movie, "Witness". Raymond Chandler must be rolling in his grave.
Rating: 
Summary: A Gripping movie
Review: This movie is made briliantly. Technically, this movie stands out. The direction is good, Music is Great , editing wonderful and the cast's Acting is superb(though I did not really think Kim Bassinger was worth the Oscar). The DVD quality is one of the very best. This is a serious type of movie and a must see if you do not despise serious movies.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling, intriuging, exciting, humorous film.
Review: Mayhem in the city of Angels. They say this is the place to live. Is it really? Guy Pierce stars as a police officer who uncovers the corruption of the the LA Police officers in the 50's. Great acting, wonderful screenplay, exciting, thrilling and even humorous at times. Also stars King Danny DeVito, Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell, and David Strathairn.
Rating: 
Summary: Characters carry the film
Review: Strong characters carry this film - but perhaps this is not unexpected as the LA stories are for us today pretty typical. A good film that is worth seeing for Crowe's, Spacey's and De Vito's performances.
Rating:
Summary: a modern classic
Review: Like many Irish people, I am quite obsessed with America, its history, culture, and people, and this movie about the seedy underbelly of 1950's L.A. piqued my interest. I was enthralled from beginning to end by the way in which the filmmakers managed to capture an era and its feeling so well. The performances are top-notch as well. From Kevin Spacey to Kim Basinger to Russell Crowe (a fine, fine actor who is FINALLY getting his due!) to Guy Pearce, there is not a weak link in the ensemble. Each of the characters is well developed, different from the others, and attuned to nuance. All in all, the film is fascinating and ranks among my favorites!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Film...
Review: I have owned this film since it came out for sale, and I've got to admit that I never get tired of watching it. The script is perfect, the acting is excellent, and it is a movie that will keep the audience captivated from the opening scene until the end. The most interesting thing about this film was the depth of the characters. There are no clear cut "good guys." Every character has a shady side to them, and this makes the people in the movie very believeable. The performances by both Kevin Spacey (one of the best actors around) and Russell Crowe were amazing!
Rating:
Summary: Best of the 1990s
Review: An excellent adaption of James Ellroy's novel that improves with each viewing. Superb direction and screenplay by Curtis Hanson, who has obviously seen Chinatown and adapted some of its soundtrack. Though Leonard Maltin's movie guide described this as "a dark world view", the movie is still a ray of sunshine compared to Ellroy's novel, and the story ties together better. Incredibly captures the look and feel of 1950's LA with superb acting by Kevin Spacey and its two Aussie leads Russell Crowe (born in New Zealand) and Guy Pierce (born in England), who speak in perfect American accent. Exciting and realistic finale. A must see, several times.
Rating:
Summary: Post-Noir Work of Art
Review: Just glancing at the numerous reviews posted below, I'm struck by how many people dislike this movie because it does not completely adhere to the "rules" of film noir. LA Confidential, like Chinatown before it, is indeed a tribute and re-creation of the classic film noir of the 1940's and 1950's, but both of these films are also post-modern reworkings of the film noir genre. It questions and re-imagines the very archetype it is influenced by, forcing the audience to question the convention. Think of all the anti-westerns of the past, like The Wild Bunch, which flew in the face of John Wayne and was as much about the Western film tradition as it was about cowboys. This may seem rather a pretentious way to go about making films, but commenting on style has always been a feature of good art. That said, this is just a darn good movie, with a great ensemble, attention to detail, intriguing plot twists, and wicked humor. In a year in which a good but extremely old-fashioned romance took all the box office and awards, there was deeper fare to be found in this excellent film, which is both an excellent example and a notable exception to the film noir tradition.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful suspense
Review: When this movie first came out, I refused to see it because I usually do not like movies that receive a lot of hype. Last year I finally got around to watching it, and I couldn't believe how wonderful the movie was. I was impressed by everything: there was so much detail to the movie, right down to the accuracy of the fifty dollar bill that Jack Vincennes places on the shot glass. There was A LOT of suspence, with very unexpected turns and shady characters, and the acting was superb. I don't understand, however, how Russell Crowe (Bud White) is constantly overlooked in the movie reviews because of Kevin Spacey. DOn't get me wrong, I adore Kevin Spacey, but Russell Crowe stole the movie with his performance. This is definitly in my top five favorite movies (along with the Usual Suspects). I definitely recommend this movie if you love suspense.
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