Rating of
3/4
Good story, but just doesn't seem quite plausible
Gabe - wrote on 09/08/14
Yes, I know this is based on a true story despite what you may think when reading the title of this review.
Not a bad film, but definitely dated. There's something about "cop"films from, really any time other than the present that always seem dated to me. i can go back and watch The Godfather (1972) the year before this was made or Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and feel like I'm watching a great film. I don't ever think about when it was made. I think that's because the story revolves around the "bad guys." But, take In the Heat of the Night (1967), it was released the same year as Bonnie and Clyde and yet, because it is a story told from the police's point of view, in modern times, I just don't think it works as well.
I have a theory, my theory goes something like this: because of CSI and other modern police procedurals, we expect an open-and-shut case. DNA is everywhere! The technology is there to analyze anything. Every moment of every waking day is on camera, somewhere. In old (I mean old as in "not 2014") films, there seems to always be a lack of evidence. I know that that's just the way it was back then, but I still never feel satisfied.
Reason #2 is this: especially pre-Watergate, which this film was. There was a naivete among the media. The media and the police force always worked in tandem. The media acquired leads and leaks so they could write a story and they also turned a blind eye to internal problems, like the ones in this film dealing with police corruption. This would all change in the late 70's.
Anyway, I'm in no way calling this a bad film. It just wasn't quite what I wanted. And, honestly, I'm not sure I know what I wanted.
