DVD Reviews

Brooklyn’s Finest – DVD Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jul 14, 2010, 16:58 GMT

$Something of a genre homecoming, Antoine Fuqua\'s latest film once again finds him delving into the gritty, brutal realm of cops and crooks—as he did in Training Day. Tango is an undercover officer on a narcotics detail that forces him to choose between duty and friendship. Having been to hell and back, he wants out, but the powers that be won\'t let him quit. Family-man Sal is a detective tempted$

Something of a genre homecoming, Antoine Fuqua\'s latest film once again finds him delving into the gritty, brutal realm of cops and crooks—as he did in Training Day. Tango is an undercover officer on a narcotics detail that forces him to choose between duty and friendship. Having been to hell and back, he wants out, but the powers that be won\'t let him quit. Family-man Sal is a detective tempted ...more

If these officers are the finest that Brooklyn has to offer, then boy are they in trouble.

Three cop’s stories intertwine as the powder keg of a New York borough threatens to explode thanks to the shooting of a black grad student by a police officer.

Eddie (Richard Gere) is the elder statesman who begins his day with a shot of whiskey and a quick game of Russian roulette. He’s been on the job for 22 years and only seven days away from retirement.

Sal (Ethan Hawke) is a family man and Catholic whose wife (Lili Taylor) is expecting twins. The problem is the whole family is suffering from mold poisoning as their home is infested with it. Sal has found a new house that isn’t on the market that they can buy, the problem is that they don’t have the money for the down payment and the owner is about to put it on the market if Sal can’t provider her the money. Sal has taken to doing solo raids of drug locations to provide the needed funds.

Tango (Don Cheadle) is an officer deep undercover in the drug trade. His contact (Will Patton) is superseded by his Washington superior (Ellen Barkin) to take down Tango’s friend Cas (Wesley Snipes), who has just been released from prison and is once again rising to power in the borough. All three stories will come to a conclusion on a heated night and not everyone will walk away.

Brooklyn’s Finest may not plough any new ground in the good cop/bad cop genre, but what it does offer is some fine acting. I usually make fun of Wesley Snipes since he’s been in some bad films (I’d wager to get quick cash for that bill from the IRS) but in Brooklyn’s Finest he proves that he’s still a good actor when given the proper role. He’s joined by some heavy hitters of note.

Richard Gere is still working and maybe against type as the burnt-out, melancholy officer. Don Cheadle is also a solid actor who plays conflicted well as the officer who has to balance the law and friendship as he has to play Judas to Snipe’s character. Hawke is also drained and conflicted as the religious family man who only wants the best for this kin and sees thugs rolling in money and decides to take his share of their ill-gotten gains.

All of these stories don’t have a happy ending, some of them shockingly so (for even more of a shocker and downbeat ender look at the alternative ending with Gere’s character). Even those with minor roles have moments to shine, especially Barkin as a tough-as-nails, abrasive authority figure.

All that drama plays out with a New York vibe and the simmering clashes and hopelessness are palpable. It’s a fine, dramatic film with a great cast.

Brooklyn’s Finest is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.40:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary with director Antoine Fuqua. The 6 minute “Chaos and Conflict” interviews the cast about their characters. The 5 minute “Boyz n the real hood” looks at the film’s realistic take on the projects of Brooklyn.

The 6 minute “An Eye for Detail” talks about Fuqua’s dedication to the film. The 5 minute “From the MTA to the WGA” talks about the Cinderella story of screenwriter Michael C. Martin. There are also 31 minutes of deleted scenes (including several alternative endings) and the 2 minute theatrical trailer.

Brooklyn’s Finest is a film that doesn’t cover much new (I’m reminded of Serpico or French Connection), but it does have some great (though depressing) drama and acting. I apologize to Wesley, he’s quite good. It’s a gripping look at police corruption, but you won’t feel very happy when all of the tales are played out.