DARK BLUE

By: Abbie Bernstein
Date: Friday, February 21, 2003

Understanding the significance of screenwriting credits sometimes takes the same skills as reading runes, so it's unclear how much James Ellroy, given a "story by" tag on DARK BLUE, contributed to the final product. However, the movie certainly feels like Ellroy territory, with an LAPD that's as turbulent, intricate and, well, dark as it was shown to be in his L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.

DARK BLUE is actually set about 40 years later than L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, with the 1992 Rodney King verdict and the street violence that followed providing an ominous atmosphere throughout, although the case itself doesn't directly intersect with the film's plot. We meet young and relatively new Special Investigations Squad (SIS) officer Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) as he's testifying at an inquiry into a fatal shooting. Bobby is cleared of wrongdoing in killing a civilian criminal and subsequently congratulated by his proud partner Eldon Perry (Kurt Russell), a legendary officer who's just about to receive his lieutenant's stripes. In a twist that turns out to be one of the less shocking things we'll learn, it was Eldon and not Bobby who took the shot and the dead man, scumbag though he doubtless was, posed no threat. Bobby's uncle Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson) runs SIS with a genial smile, an iron fist and an abyss where his heart should be.

When a

pair of gunmen (Dash Mihok and Kurupt, starting off deceptively charming before horrifying us) kill four people in a convenience store robbery, Van Meter puts Perry and Keough on the case and promptly steers them away from Perry's first (and correct) choice of suspects. Keough is dismayed, but this is nothing compared to what's coming. Meanwhile, Van Meter's departmental rival Arthur Holland (Ving Rhames) is ready to do bureaucratic battle with the SIS overlord. Holland enlists his aide, Sgt. Beth Williamson (Michael Michele), in his anti-Van Meter efforts, which creates still more complications, as it turns out that Williamson and Keough know one another.

David Ayer's screenplay is gritty, thoughtful, with a moral structure as layered and labyrinthine as the story. Ayers, director Ron Shelton and actor Russell never lose sight of the fact that Perry is indeed a monster, racist and murderous, even though he's often squaring off against other monsters. The amazing thing is that both the writing and the excellent performance allow us to simultaneously truly detest the man and yet slowly see some remaining humanity within. We don't identify with Perry and the film doesn't attempt to excuse him, but it does effectively explain him no mean feat. Meanwhile, we fear for Keough's soul as much as for his physical safety, because every time we think we know the worst of what's happening, there's always further for these people to fall.

The narrative moves with enormous speed and muscularity, dexterously handling a multitude of characters and interwoven subplots while making everything readily comprehensive. Shelton stages incidents of violence that are truly disturbing this isn't action shorthand that can be easily shrugged off, but rather fast, matter-of-fact and painful to behold. Dialogue is ever natural-sounding, even in a crucial speech where another film might go over the top.

Although it is ultimately Russell's film, all of the key actors do terrific work as well. Speedman is especially notable, inviting instant empathy, Rhames exudes icy fury without even raising his voice and Gleeson is the epitome of a smooth politician who can charm or bully on a dime. Michele is strong as the least compromised character in the film and Lolita Davidovich likewise has impact as Perry's fed up and somewhat frightened wife.

DARK BLUE is a fictional tale, but its ambiguities, its regrets and its anger all ring uncomfortably, compellingly true.

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