Siskel & Ebert - "L.A. Confidential"

[@siddharthhariharan2384]

"Bright new face - Russell Crowe" - And the rest is history! Siskel and Ebert always had a good eye on upcoming talents. Many of them are now Hollywood legends

[@Ryan07_20]

Anyone who watched the movie knew both Russell and guy would be huge. They were the 2 leads in an adaptation of a huge novel If they said it before, when Crowe was in Quick and the dead and Pearce was in adventures of Priscilla, that proves a good eye

[@jameskennedy4377]

I'm glad they mentioned Cromwell at the end. His performance is great but often gets overlooked.

[@XxowendanxX]

yes people talk about russell crowe, guy pearce, kevin spacey, kim basinger and danny devito but they leave out how great cromwell was in this movie..

[@robertlathrop6135]

Dudley Smith -- one of the all time great villains. Cromwell plays him perfectly -- calm, smiling, evil.

[@XxowendanxX]

rw lorenz they also have a left-handed way of making a tough guy, law-and-order captain into the biggest criminal of them all...

[@VillemarMxO]

rw lorenz Yup. I just read an earlier work of James Ellroy, pre-L.A. Quartet, called Clandestine, where we first meet Dudley Smith (and his two henchmen, Carlyle & Breuning). Reading it I can't not picture the great James Cromwell in my mind's eye. That's a great testament to how good he was in this.

[@jameskennedy4377]

Villemar I haven't read Clandestine. L.A. Confidential, imo, is one of the few screenplays that actually improves on the novel.

[@strangeplacestv]

One of top 3 or 4 films of the 90s. Awesome story, cast, production value, directing. Amazing film.

[@845835]

LA Confidential is an outstanding film.

[@mari-bk5pe]

Agreed

[@jamesdrynan]

Fires on all cylinders! Hanson's choice of Pearce and Crowe as protagonists was casting heaven.

[@43nostromo]

Brilliant score by Jerry Goldsmith, who composed both Chinatown and LA Confidential.

[@MrUnsolvedMystery]

My favorite movie of all time in the crime, drama, neo-noir genre. Timeless classic still great after 25 years since it’s release. Such a great group of actors all in one film. The cinematography is the real star of the film!

[@nomiddlenamenmn427]

One of the best motion pictures. Brilliant classic. Four characters who are dislikable, but are also deeply relatable. Beautiful in every frame. I have watched it over a hundred times and still want to see it many times more. I love this great, timeless film.

[@MrBollockchops1]

An excellent film with a brilliant cast. Pierce, Crowe, Spacey and Cromwell worked particularly well. I still watch this film now after all these years and enjoy it every time.

[@LeoWhalen1933]

Love the starpower, cinematography, and story. This is definitely in my top 5 of all-time. Great film.

[@jp3813]

Don't forget the score.

[@Jbaxter85]

Best period movie of the 90s, true masterpiece with well-written and well-directed, terrific cast & classic story. thumbs way up.

[@JnEricsonx]

Still one of my favorite non genre movies of the last 25 years for me. And I tend to live on sci-fi,horror, action, comic book, etc movie.

[@waynej2608]

Way, way up. Siskel and Ebert really nailed it, on this one. I also thought that Danny DaVito did real well in it, too. Great cast, writing, photography, music...a brilliant film.

[@c.d.macaulay66]

It was the best movie of that year. It had the great misfortune to be released the same year as Titanic, which steamrolled all competition. But, for my money, it’s a better picture. Give me good acting over (albeit great) SFX any day.

[@waynej2608]

Absolutely. 👍

[@jandcstopmotion7774]

Boogie Nights is very close competition

[@drjohnson98]

Absolutely agree with you and J and C Stop Motion on both LA Confidential and Boogie Nights - both far superior to Titanic. I have watched and re-watched LA Confidential and Boogie Nights over the years and always see something new and both are as good today as they were over 20 years ago. I watched Titanic once in the theater. Have never bothered to re-watch it all the way through since and probably never will. One of the most over-rated films of all time. Basically reduced a great historical tragedy to a young adult love story. A Night to Remember, despite 1950s effects, is the far superior Titanic film.

[@jp3813]

Leo & Kate are good actors.

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

Danny DeVito should have been up for an Oscar for this. He’s such a perfect movie sleazebag! 😆 “Hi Tammy! Hi Matt!”

[@audiophileman7047]

Danny D. had a lot of practice playing that type of character on the Taxi TV series.

[@beaviii34]

some of the most brilliantly written dialogue of the decade

[@pdgf]

The BEST movie of 1997, sorry Titanic fans!

[@periodsg5875]

L.A. Confidential! Class movie..

[@errolbourgeois8230]

Very classy indeed

[@paulzenco6182]

Awesome film. One of the best of the 90s, and that’s saying a lot

[@LukeLovesRose]

This is one of the greatest years for movies. LA Confidential, Titanic, Good Will Hunting, As Good As It Gets, etc

[@marlonekstrom3158]

I can't belive that titanic won best picture over this

[@DHGlee2013]

Omg thank you!! While titanic was an alright movie, it was extremely overrated and annoying. LA Confidential deserved the Best Picture Oscar

[@pamalford8319]

The Academy voters like "artsy" movies. "LA Confidential" beat "Titanic" hands down for depth, brilliant casting, directing, writing and acting". One of my favorite movies of all time.

[@brettdelawyer3593]

Agreed!

[@dnasty312]

Both are classics!

[@pikapo16]

L.A. Confidential, The Ice Storm, and Good Will Hunting were all better than Titanic

[@charlesstephens5974]

God I really miss siskel and Elbert damn!

[@WilliamButtlicker]

Mr. Siskel* and Ebert*

[@thegladve]

@@WilliamButtlicker miss as in longing or as not here anymore, not miss as in Ms. but still that made me chuckle a bit so good on you.

[@larkmacallan4257]

VERY good movie. One of my favorites. And russell crowe has never been better more likeable or more badass. screw gladiator!

[@robertlathrop6135]

Crowe was able to convey intensity and threat with his calm, flat delivery.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

Lark Macallan So True! He's a hundred times better here and more badass and likeable than on Gladiator. But that's because this was a well-written movie while Gladiator is a lot of nothing visuals and showmanship. Like most Ridley Scott movies.

[@rdecredico]

+Lark Macallan Likeable? He was a woman beating misanthropic prick. Nothing to like there ... all all, except by another misanthrope.

[@larkmacallan4257]

rdecredico oh whatever it's a fun movie he ended up a hero and the girl loved him anyway. fuck off.

[@rdecredico]

+Lark Macallan It;s a great film no doubt and that means there is no reason to whitewash misanthropic behavior. She gets with him because that is what abusee's do, especially broken ones that have little self esteem and allow themselves to be used in the sex trade. His ruthless brutish behavior does not detract from the film, fool, and I never claimed it did. So now I'm done fucking off, putz. Thanks for letting us all know you're an abuser as well. Only people that share that trait identify with shits like Bud.

[@JunebugPresents]

One of my favorite movies of all time.

[@dinkthroughball]

Such a masterful movie

[@avisco01]

I love this movie so much and feel it may be a bit underrated.

[@avisco01]

@Gene Connor Sorry I’m a moron. I just meant I don’t hear a lot of people talk about it in my circle of friends. It’s like a forgotten gem in a way. For example, there are like thousands of movies with overwhelmingly glowing reviews and ratings that people just don’t seem to talk about much.

[@broncodeviltexas]

Rolo Tomasi

[@TheHoopyscoopy]

oh shut up

[@lennarthagen3638]

Who is he?

[@josephsarto689]

You are. You’re the guy who gets away with it. Jack knew it. And so do I

[@ResistanceQuest]

The Kaiser Sozé of a different time and place

[@jamiealexander7665]

He was him the whole time!

[@siltom1962]

Great film, one of my top 5.

[@Kruppt808]

Amazing movie, one of my favorite of the 90s.

[@leafyutube]

I always liked LA Confidential WAY more than The Departed.

[@HardcoreGamer101508]

lol noooo. The Departed was far more uncompromising and didn't have to cop out in the end like all Hollywood pictures (Russell Crowe somehow surviving three brutal wounds/shots).

[@leafyutube]

***** I see your point, but uncompromising does not necessarily make it better in my view. Furthermore, there's nothing ingenius about having all the characters kill each other off in the final 10 minutes. I still feel that movie is vastly over rated.

[@HardcoreGamer101508]

leafyutube It's not exactly about ingenuity. The Departed was the master of uncertainty and unpredictability. L.A. Confidential is a mystery thriller that is poised to go uncertain routes with numerous twists. Considering its dark direction, I was utterly disappointed by its sudden Hollywood ending whereas The Departed kept true to its bleak tone throughout. The deaths of all the characters certainly weren't purposeless as it brilliantly tied to the themes of trust, betrayal, ratting, etc. It had to end on a downer, and it wasn't scared to do so whereas most motion pictures (understandably due to the influence of corporate studios) are scared to kill off favorites and leave the audience dissatisfied.

[@leafyutube]

***** Same thing. uncertainty and unpredictability don't necessarily make it better. I can name you 50 crappy low-budget B-movies that had uncertainty and unpredictability.

[@lynnturman8157]

I think they're both great movies. As to the ending of L.A. Confidential, it feels completely tacked on. My guess is that (SPOILER ALERT) Russell Crowe died in the original script. But test screen audiences didn't like that so they reshot the ending. Assuming I am correct, the original ending was better (though less commercial) but I don't think it diminishes what is a great, great movie...

[@mrquiet2009]

Honestly, this film was way better than Titanic. Wonderful performances all around in a tricky and surprisingly emotionally deep screenplay.

[@litedawg]

Absolutely. Titantic was over rated trash.

[@kellywilliamson2187]

What an odd thing to say. How can you possibly say something so definitive when films are entirely subjective?

[@andrewattenboroughtwothumb4697]

love la confidential and great classic crime noir movie neo noir and great classic review

[@beaviii34]

fantastic characters and performances all around

[@jamesquay0]

Truly my favorite movie of all time

[@jeremygill2409]

Excellent review and movie

[@jonathanfunnell4167]

love roger ebert with all my heart and always will

[@mjanderson4]

One of the best Neo-Noir films ever and one of the only good things that Curtis Hanson ever did in his career. James Ellroy's L.A. Quartet series is worth a mention as well. The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A. Confidential, and White Jazz all paint a wonderful picture of Hollywood in the early 1950s. As a side note there was supposed to be a sequel set in 1974, but was scrapped after Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020.

[@thatdude5353]

What films by Curtis Hansen do you dislike?

[@mattcastellanos2178]

One of my favorites, loaded with great performances including James Cromwell: “have you a valediction boy-o?”

[@Dunkaroos248]

Such a great movie

[@RegularGiraffe]

I'm glad they liked it. Plus they pick the scenes that I liked too! RIP Siskel and Ebert

[@LucyLioness100]

My favorite noir film and amazing story

[@JosephHuether]

Great movie. Russel Crowe really reminded me of Steve McQueen in this performance. Kim Basinger. I really love her ability to play parts in which she has a sort-of studied “glamour” but isn’t afraid of being past a youthful prime and softly sad and vulnerable. She does this very well.

[@awakeningcry]

Fun Fact: Guy Pierce's first acting gig was in Australian soap "Neighbours", in which he reprised his original role for its finale in July 2022, after a break of 31-and-a-half years. Funnier Fact: Russell Crowe also appeared in Neighbours in the 80s, but only for about half a dozen episodes

[@awakeningcry]

@@justinhopper5941 yes, but they weren't in this film

[@fromthehaven94]

Julianne Moore did a similar thing for American soap opera As the World Turns. Reprising her original role from early in her career as that show came to an end.

[@ronniebishop2496]

Much better and more visual and entertaining than CHINATOWN. That put me to sleep.

[@markJohnson-ot7ny]

The Departed gets all the pub. However in my opinion LA Confidential is the Best Cop Movie ever made. The reason is simple, the movie was set in the 50's, but the story line transcends the decades and you could the plot right in today society. Its shows how absolute power corrupts absolutely and the age story of good over evil. M

[@Kruppt808]

Real movie fans know this is by far the better flim, the departed is to unbelievable at some points, it's laughable.

[@gatekeeperboxing5898]

The Departed was a remake (of a better film at that), LA Confidential is an original. There is no comparison.

[@cometor38]

unbelievable film

[@vincentjoyce5100]

Great cast.

[@salvatoresultana4058]

The most underrated classic ever

[@benbacharach3977]

This movie is not talked about enough these days

[@cliffslatterly2893]

Never saw it. But Siskel and Ebert makes me want to watch it.

[@georgemorley1029]

Watch it as soon as you can. It's great.

[@cliffslatterly2893]

oKay. Will do.

[@lewystyles]

ROLO TOMASIE!

[@georgemorley1029]

Cliff Slatterly So, time has passed...what did you think (O random internet man)?

[@cliffslatterly2893]

Lol. I haven't watched it yet. It's on a list of things to do. Lol.

[@kz1000ps]

I'm so glad the both loved it. Anything less than two enthusiastic thumbs up from them and I woulda been livid.

[@SeekerGoOn2013]

I’ll say it too. God I miss these guys!

[@julien8629]

Fantastic movie!

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

Best cop movie or noir movie ever made.

[@audiophileman7047]

It's arguably the best neo-noir, but it's pretty tough to beat classics like Double Indemnity, Out of the Past, The Third Man, Touch of Evil, etc. Using black & white film just adds something that color films don't have. The light and shadow play differently. It's what puts the classic noirs over the top.

[@obasaz4904]

​@@audiophileman7047 it's way behind Chinatown and will forever live in it's shadow, where it belongs.

[@matthewpaul6904]

It's one of those movies like Shawshank that is universally liked. Haven't heard a bad word about LA Confidential

[@GordanGeeko]

A film that worked on every level.

[@Leftysfive93]

Simon Baker of The Mentalist is the actor whom Kevin Spacey's cop character busts for marijuana possession.

[@rudyredcat425]

Oh, lord, how the tables turned on those two actors 😂😂😂

[@steveconn]

"Bright young face Russell Crowe." Last time anyone will hear that phrase.

[@ABALLAM3]

I would go as far as saying L.A. Confidential is one of the best films of the 1990's.

[@errolbourgeois8230]

Best writing of the 1990s

[@waynej2608]

Oh, easily. And, the 90s had some great ones. Off the top of my head; Pulp Fiction, Heat, Goodfellas, Boogie Nights, etc. I'd put LAC up there, without hesitation.

[@jamesdrynan]

Once all the hype died down around Titanic, you were left with a tragedy that could have been averted. L A Confidential has staying power. The cast, direction and screenplay are all first rate! A classic.

[@AlonsoRules]

"It's not Chinatown, it's Hollywood and it's very good"

[@PeterMayer]

Great flick.

[@65g4]

great movie

[@LiterallyGod]

Russell Crowe is a beast

[@JustSomeCanadianGuy]

If Russell Crowe kept going with the streak he had from 1997 to 2005 he’d have a career as good as Robert De Niro.

[@thomasstorgaard9750]

You come to miss movie reviewers like this, and the movies they reviewed, when you look at this clip. The 1990´s was the best decade of popular culture.

[@veerchasm1]

All time great film

[@georgedoolittle7574]

Welcome to "just before you were always on-line" World..

[@cl759]

ROFL,

[@kevinbergin2225]

Right up there with Chinatown and dare I say it ... The Maltese Falcon.

[@maralinekozial9131]

Best film of the late 90's hands down

[@abcun17]

RIP Curtis Hanson....

[@VinchenzoC]

"...a bright new face, Russel Crow," LOL!

[@LadyJay114]

If it wasn't for Titanic, this movie would've won Best Picture.

[@vladimirhorowitz]

If it wasn't for the Braves, the Astros would've won the World Series haha.

[@warrenparker7961]

It's so nice when they both like a film. It's like a fanboy trainwreck with each stepping on the other's commentary.

[@steveclapper5424]

As good as movie making can be.

[@user-dr2yz8um3d]

LA Confidential turns 25! Made $126.2 million worldwide Had no idea it was based on the book by James Ellroy Still a very solid noir film with a top notch cast of Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, Danny Devito, and James Cromwell I remember watching this in film class in middle school It's very criminally underrated by late director Curtis Hanson; won the Oscar for best supporting actress and best adapted screenplay Love the 1950s setting in Los Angeles but still shot in a contemporary way that feels clean, accessible and modern Love it takes a jab at organized crime, drugs, public relations/corruption in law enforcement, and how newspaper headlines fuel the life essence of Hollywood So many changes had to be made to condense everything but Ellroy was very pleased with how the filmmakers approached it after 2 years The epilogue does seem unnecessary but thankfully the film is enough substance without relying too much on style and is very character driven with a very complex plot Even now the display of violence on screen is still a point of heated debate; shocked me how bloody it was when I first saw it

[@fromthehaven94]

The book is a doorstopper.

[@maciekwawa5964]

"... hooker played by Kim Basinger" I can't belive ths went on-air. I am laughing so hard :D

[@VNYLDEN]

This film should’ve won best picture. Still should get the Criterion treatment.

[@65g4]

Great movie

[@jimtabor180]

In my memory the most lopsided loss. Titanic can't be compared to this.

[@jefffawcett]

Dances with Wolves over Goodfellas is the worst

[@leobergmiller873]

“A bright new face Russell Crowe”

[@jec1ny]

In any other year it would have won best picture. But the subject of the Titanic just gets people worked up.

[@peteryoung5035]

I wouldn't compare LA Confidential to Once Upon A Time In America two separate movies in their own way

[@JonathanGarcia-vd5ci]

It's more like Chinatown.

[@shawnevans666]

He was comparing the way they thread a story together.

[@FrancoisDressler]

Shawn Evans Even then, it's still more like Chinatown. Once Upon A Time In America is far more idiosyncratic.

[@demetriusdion286]

The Devil in the Blue Dress and L.A. Confidential two my favorite movies, both are about Crime Drama in the Fifties.

[@waynej2608]

@@FrancoisDressler And, it's hard to compare most any films to Leone films. OUTIA is epic.

[@manpower386ify]

Why is the screen frozen on Gene??

[@PeterMayer]

And the music was done by the best conductor of music for movies, Jerry Goldsmith.

[@HenryConway007]

Oh, undeniably.

[@TobeyStarburst]

Good flick.

[@Ajax-0137]

Still can't believe Titanic beat this for best picture. What a sham.

[@awesome420ication]

I've only seen this twice and chinatown once, but is it just me or do they feel similar(naturally same locations), but also in theme and writing and imagery(partly bcuz of the locations). Both are my favourite movies of all time, but i'd have to see them again to clarify.

[@awesome420ication]

+awesome420ication Similar color palate too.

[@slabz_]

Both are your favorite movies but only seen them once?

[@jesseperez3086]

@@slabz_ thats what i was thinking

[@thenaturalmidsouth9536]

I've read most of Ellroy's books and am a fan, but this movie was better than his novel.

[@ronniebishop2496]

He’s been beaten to death, we’ve narrowed it down to a thousand suspects.? Lol 😂 Danny DeVito.

[@villedocvalle]

Lol wow Gene says “hooker” with such ease....

[@bigneon_glitter]

LA Confidential > Chinatown

[@kevinbergin2225]

Agreed.

[@waynej2608]

Both masterpieces. Imho.

[@NewhamMatt]

Wow. Hollywood really loved the antipodeans in this film.

[@abe_froman8360]

Should have won the Oscar for best picture that year, but Titanic overshadowed everything.

[@ronniebishop2496]

I liked this picture much better than Chinatown, I can’t believe they mentioned it in the same breath but I guess they had to have something to compare it with. I can’t imagine how great it would be if Kim Basinger had been 10 years younger like in the Natural. Wow.

[@ronniebishop2496]

Neran Okari You’re right I never thought of it like that, but you’re exactly right, thank you, nice insight.

[@kibagami74]

My one complaint about LA Confidential; I just don't buy that Guy Pearce's character would suddenly drop all ambition and principle to have a go with Kim Basinger. It always hits out of Left Field and goes against everything his character is about, he looked down on her as a mere prostitute and a means to an end for the case he's on. Everything else is superb about the film.

[@audiophileman7047]

Even the holiest of men can be tempted, and Kim Basinger's character is mighty tempting in this film. It's not about principle. One of the hallmarks of film noir was its rejection of white hat and black hat characters by introducing the gray hat character who wasn't perfect but was basically decent.

[@HoldenNY22]

It was a Great Movie. I started reading the Book, but couldn't get through it. Maybe I'll try it some other time. Guy Pierce became a big Star, but Russell Crowe became a SuperStar. Both Austrilians. They can't find good American Actors?

[@donjones2988]

If you were Guy Pierce in the movie L A Confidential would you risk a beating by Russel Crowe in order to make out with Kim Bassinger?

[@nysguy07]

Don Jones He did a little more than just make out with her.

[@JnEricsonx]

If it was Kim Basinger in Holly Wood form from Cool World....yes.

[@gatekeeperboxing5898]

If it were the only chance I would ever get to be with her, I would risk being beat up by Rocky.

[@shooter7a]

It is always interesting to go back and look at the film that won the Oscar for Best Picture 10,15, 20 years later, and look at the films it was up against. 1998: TITANIC AS GOOD AS IT GETS THE FULL MONTY GOOD WILL HUNTING L.A. CONFIDENTIAL Which ones stands the test of time? It is certainly not Titanic.

[@JohnzyZombee]

Don't mention kevin... 😬.

[@Clay3613]

Wow, they liked Mimic?

[@aquamarine99911]

No brainer.