Rating: 
Summary: Uneven, but Satisyfing Coda for a Seminal Series.
Review: If ever a series deserved a posthumous made-for-TV movie, it's Homicide. The original series was cancelled in 1999, only a few weeks notice before season's end. Consequently, the series finale was admittedly hurried, disjointed, and inconclusive. One of the greatest series ever deserved a more punctuated conclusion. To this end, Homicide's creative team managed to convince NBC to let them make "Homicide: The Movie".The premise of "Homicide: The Movie" is ingenious (for those who don't know): Lt. Giardello ("Gee" for short) is the controversial frontrunner in the Baltimore mayoral race, whose principle issue is the decriminalization of drugs. During a campaign stop he is shot (but not killed) by an unknown assailant. Subsequently, every regular character from the series (and I mean everyone) returns to investigate the crime and visit Gee. [This premise is so good, it's frustrating as a fan. If NBC had given the show one more season (and let them know it would be the last) there could've been some intriguing episodes leading to the campaign.] In a sense it's nice to see every regular character back one last time, but it also creates a dilemma: overcrowding. With so many characters (more than 20) the story is spread thinly over it's 90 min. duration. There are many pointless, uninteresting scenes, which only serve to give some members of the bloated cast face time: Shepherd and Ballard repeatedly view videotape of the shooting for leads; Mike Giardello and Kellerman roust everyone who might carry a grudge; Med. Examiners discuss emergency advancements at Gee's hospital bed. These aren't limited examples, about half of all the film's scenes are disposable. What probably would've been a superb 40 min. series finale' is often flimsy as a 90 min. film. Fortunately, the glaring flaws are largely redeemed in the last 15 min. The conclusion is set up pefectly and comes as a complete and devestating surprise; yet it's entirely believable and satisfying in the spirit of the original series. Even if "Homicide: The Movie" is more than a little diluted, it works as an appropriately bitter-sweet coda for one of the best series in the history of television.
Rating: 
Summary: Ugh.
Review: In lieu of more colorful euphemisms, ugh will have to suffice. As a huge fan of Homicide, I have to strongly disagree with the raves about this movie. In direct contrast to those who praised this piece, I was highly disappointed and even affronted by it. Let me speak for the fans who love the show but thought this movie was meant more as a 'kiss-off' than a 'send-off'. It left me the distinct impression that Tom Fontana was bored with writing Homicide, and wanted to destroy any chance whatsoever that he would be forced to write the characters ever again. What better way to do that than by making Tim Bayliss a 'bad guy', and then by murdering Gee, thus destroying the guiding force of the squad? The final roof-top scene with Frank and Tim is some of the best acting you will ever see, but on the whole, I would have rathered this movie wasn't made at all. Homicide deserved a better ending than this.
Rating: 
Summary: Love It or Not ,But Buy It -- It's Worth It
Review: Most of the other reviewers have recapped the storyline well and mentioned such "lowlights" as many former cast members with too little air time. That said, it matters not whether you have been a fan of the Homicide TV series or are just finding out about it, this movie is worth seeing. What others have mentioned as a "thin" storyline with a surprise ending is reasonable but misplaced criticism. The ending of this movie not only recaptures some of the genius of the series (memorable final scenes) but also subliminally "invites" the viewer to find out more about the characters who are in the final episode, especially the last scene. That can only be done by watching all of the shows from seasons 1 thru 5, at least. So, the finale of this excellent series is, in fact, an invitation to enjoy the gritty, gripping acting and highly entertaining stories of the entire series. I've watched every show of every season, including this one, at least 3 times, and I think that viewers will enjoy this movie on its own merits, but will appreciate it even more by watching more of the shows that made this series GREAT.
Rating:
Summary: "Who's the fourth chair for?"
Review: Returning on occasion to the job I left almost three years ago, and which I held for over four years, I am constantly reminded of how much things change. And the feeling of awkwardness and unease still permeates throughout each and every one of my visits. The place looks different. Many, if not most, of the faces have changed. Life has moved on without me there. Watching "Homicide: The Movie" evokes much the same feeling within me. The TV movie was produced only a short half-year after the series ended production, yet so much was different. The result is somewhat jarring, yet still acceptable. Life does, indeed, move on. Why should "Homicide" be any different? The major driving force behind "Homicide: The Movie" was to reunite as many of "Homicide: Life on the Street's" cast members as possible. How does one accomplish this? The answer comes in the form of having a man that many of the characters liked (or at least respected) get shot down. Former Lt. Al Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) is running for mayor of Baltimore, when he is gunned down at a rally. He is rushed to the hospital, and news of his brush with death spreads quickly throughout the area. Soon, every single one of the living detectives who had worked in the Homicide unit during the series' run have returned to the squad room. Much has changed since the time that they were there. Only one of the show's original characters, Meldrick Lewis, is still an active detective in the unit. Stu Gharty, a man many people did not respect, is now the shift lieutenant. The squad room is painted blue. And Jason Priestley (of 90210 fame) has joined the cast as a brash, new detective. The detectives (old and new) begin to investigate the shooting of Al Giardello. John Munch & Stanley Bolander (Richard Belzer & Ned Beatty) re-unite and work together, as do the popular Frank Pembleton & Tim Bayliss (Andre Braugher & Kyle Secor). If there is a problem with "Homicide: The Movie", it is that in its quest to bring together the over 20 regular and semi-regular (as well as guest-starring) members of the cast of the original show, the usage of that cast is spread very thin. In fact, as it was when the series was on the air, the plot basically revolves around Pembleton & Bayliss. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as they are two of the show's strongest characters. It is simply a matter of time allowance. It had been years since Ned Beatty had been on the show, and perhaps a bit more time devoted to his character wouldn't have been such a bad thing. Or that of Melissa Leo's strong role as Sgt. Kay Howard (another favorite). At any rate, it was interesting to see everyone come back together again, one last time -- even the "dead" characters. There are some twists and turns in "Homicide: The Movie", as well as a couple of surprises. One of them is semi-predictable, if you'd followed the series up to its final episode. Still, it is devastating. The plot line of investigating Giardello's shooting progresses well enough, although sometimes it feels haphazard, as certain scenes are thrown in, simply for sake of providing something for each of the cast members to do. The last few scenes, once the shooting is solved, provide both a nice, and a not-so-nice coda for the characters that fans of the show grew to know and identify with over the series' seven season run. In the end, "Homicide: The Movie" seems concerned with wrapping things up, and with tidying loose ends left over from the final episode. I'm not sure whether or not I like this. In many ways, the last episode left things in a way which seemed more natural. Not every answer was solved, not every character's destination was known. Now, with "The Movie", we have almost more answers and finality than I find desirable. It made me pine for the show's early years, when it was simply a deep, gritty, and heartfelt cop show. Ah, those were the days.
Rating: 
Summary: HOMICIDE
Review: This is quite a good made for tv movie unlike the law and order movie (Exiled) WHICH SUCKED! i watched this show because it was a 2 part with law and order and i became as obsessed if not more than with law and order, there are NO bad not a 1, at least not the main characters. I wish this show hadn't been cancelled, i guess it was just to real and profit lacking, and not enough violence...i like how this show wasn't the solve the crime in an hr formula, and there is more than 1 set of detectives, with enough time for all, and still just enough time for sub-plots unlike NYPD which is 100% sub-plots...i cannot wait for the rest of the seasons!!
my favorite episodes (that i have seen)
Fire (1 and 2)
sniper (1 and 2)
Subway
the white glove murders (1-3)
justice (1-2)
three men and Adena
crosetti
the last of the watermen
happy to be here
gone for goode P.S. Bring this mother****er back! lol dont we wish...
Rating:
Summary: Urban Tradgedy
Review: This proved to be a worthy, if not tragic, ending for what diehard fans called "The Best D**n Show on Television." Being one of those fans, I was torn. On the one hand, I honestly felt "Homicide" didn't need a wrap-up movie. The ending of the televsion series, I thought, was about as satisfying as we fans were going to get under the circumstances. On the other hand, well, it was my favorite show, for cryin' out loud! I wanted to see how the creators would put it to rest.
BTW, for those of you who didn't keep up with the televion series, this is NOT the DVD to start with! Start with "Seasons I and II" and work your way up! Back to the review: The storyline is as follows: Al Giardello, former Homicide Unit L-T, is now running for Mayor of Charm City (On, if you can believe it, a drug legalization platform) and has a very impressive lead, that is until he's gunned down while giving a speech. All cast members are reunited as they struggle to investigate the shooting of their beloved "Gee" as he lies in intensive care. At times, the writing is only mediocre and there are moments when the movie seemed preoccupied with giving every single reunited cast member a line or a scene. Nonetheless, the shocking and sad ending was worth every minute and has some incredible acting from Kyle Secor and Andre Braugher. I wouldn't want to give anything away save this: the writers don't take the usual route and certainly do not wrap everything up with a "happily ever after" ending. And, looking back on the series, it makes all the sense in the world.
Rating:
Summary: Urban Tradgedy
Review: This proved to be a worthy, if not tragic, ending for what diehard fans called "The Best D**n Show on Television." Being one of those fans, I was torn. On the one hand, I honestly felt "Homicide" didn't need a wrap-up movie. The ending of the televsion series, I thought, was about as satisfying as we fans were going to get under the circumstances. On the other hand, well, it was my favorite show, for cryin' out loud! I wanted to see how the creators would put it to rest.
BTW, for those of you who didn't keep up with the televion series, this is NOT the DVD to start with! Start with "Seasons I and II" and work your way up! Back to the review: The storyline is as follows: Al Giardello, former Homicide Unit L-T, is now running for Mayor of Charm City (On, if you can believe it, a drug legalization platform) and has a very impressive lead, that is until he's gunned down while giving a speech. All cast members are reunited as they struggle to investigate the shooting of their beloved "Gee" as he lies in intensive care. At times, the writing is only mediocre and there are moments when the movie seemed preoccupied with giving every single reunited cast member a line or a scene. Nonetheless, the shocking and sad ending was worth every minute and has some incredible acting from Kyle Secor and Andre Braugher. I wouldn't want to give anything away save this: the writers don't take the usual route and certainly do not wrap everything up with a "happily ever after" ending. And, looking back on the series, it makes all the sense in the world.
Rating:
Summary: Life Everlasting
Review: Whilst the final episode of the seventh season of Homicide: Life on the Street bookended the show - starting and ending in the same place - loose ends, or rather one very long loose end, was left dangling. Homicide: The Movie picks up some months after the show ended and it's all change. Al Giadello want to be the Mayor of Baltimore, Gharty is the new shift commander, Bayliss uncertain of his future, is on a sabbatical. It's not giving away much to say that Gee gets shot and squad members past and present return to catch the shooter. After the disaster of Season 7, the prospect of former cast members of the calibre of Andre Braugher, Ned Beatty and Melissa Leo was more than welcome. Sadly squeezing in so many past characters leaves many with little to do, whilst the main (and rather thin) plotline of Gee's shooting is just an excuse to get Braugher and the excellent Kyle Secor back on screen together. Not that that's a bad thing. Watching familiar faces and listening to the long missed banter of the detectives reinforced the view that Homicide was strangely overshadowed by inferior, and less intelligent shows like NYPD Blue, and that it never quite got the credit it deserved.
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