This has to be one of the better movies I've ever seen. My wife and I watched, transfixed, throughout this intense drama.
Bruce Willis gives one of the best performances of his career, on a par with his role in "Pulp Fiction." He is absolutely believable as a cop trying to do the right thing despite overwhelming pressures and odds. The always impressive David Morse brings to his performance the steady professionalism he displayed in movie versions of Stephen King novels.
Perhaps the biggest cast surprise for me was Mos Def in the role of "Eddie Bunker" who gained my substantial respect with a terrific job as co-star.
Despite all that quality, the strongest asset of this film however, is the work of the writer, Richard Wenk. While watching, the viewer may become particularly aware of the power of this screenplay because of the subtle tributes to the late brilliant writer, actor and ex-con, the Mos Def character's namesake. It is hard not to think of Bunker's authorship, acting and presence that he lent to classics such as "Reservoir Dogs" and Dustin Hoffman's "Straight Time." There are riveting touches throughout, as graceful and gripping as the briefest flash of empathy that forces the viewer to think, to interpret, brought offhandedly in the person of a Transit cop.
It's hard to recall another action movie that shares the authenticity of this work. Even while the characters evolve, the true core of this story is in its quietly drawing of the viewer into that process of evolution, the birth of epiphany under adversity. Even while one is watching carefully, that direction may only become fully apparent in the final scene.
This writing is simply brilliant. It reminds one of the strongest works of Nicholas Roeg.
Bruce Willis gives one of the best performances of his career, on a par with his role in "Pulp Fiction." He is absolutely believable as a cop trying to do the right thing despite overwhelming pressures and odds. The always impressive David Morse brings to his performance the steady professionalism he displayed in movie versions of Stephen King novels.
Perhaps the biggest cast surprise for me was Mos Def in the role of "Eddie Bunker" who gained my substantial respect with a terrific job as co-star.
Despite all that quality, the strongest asset of this film however, is the work of the writer, Richard Wenk. While watching, the viewer may become particularly aware of the power of this screenplay because of the subtle tributes to the late brilliant writer, actor and ex-con, the Mos Def character's namesake. It is hard not to think of Bunker's authorship, acting and presence that he lent to classics such as "Reservoir Dogs" and Dustin Hoffman's "Straight Time." There are riveting touches throughout, as graceful and gripping as the briefest flash of empathy that forces the viewer to think, to interpret, brought offhandedly in the person of a Transit cop.
It's hard to recall another action movie that shares the authenticity of this work. Even while the characters evolve, the true core of this story is in its quietly drawing of the viewer into that process of evolution, the birth of epiphany under adversity. Even while one is watching carefully, that direction may only become fully apparent in the final scene.
This writing is simply brilliant. It reminds one of the strongest works of Nicholas Roeg.