Terence McDonagh, a detective in New Orleans, does a humanitarian act, much against his wishes, and ends up with an injury that will bring him close to his own ruin. For the brave act he performed, McDonagh is made lieutenant. In order to ease the pain he has to live on a daily basis, his doctor prescribes Vicodin, a drug that in itself is harmless, but one that, in many cases, will lead users to get other substances. This is how Terence McDonagh becomes hooked on cocaine, heroine, crack, or whatever he can get his hands on, or steal from the evidence room in his own precinct.
The killing of five members of illegal Africans, brings Terence to the investigation. The crime is drug related, requiring getting in charge with the suspects in the case, something that puts the lieutenant in touch with more drugs, and the possibility to steal, or extort the same people that are under suspicion.
Terence McDonagh has a girlfriend, Frankie, who is a prostitute. He makes the mistake of getting rough with one of her clients who vows his well connected father will take care of the detective. He also has a gambling problems, betting recklessly, and almost never winning. Terence McDonagh is a man with no redeeming qualities that goes deeper and deeper into an uncharted territory as he descends into hell.
This film, directed by Werner Herzog, is based loosely on Abel Ferrara's "Bad Lieutenant", a much original movie than this sort of remake. In a way, this is a change of pace for Mr. Herzog. William Finkelstein reworked the screenplay by Victor Argo and Paul Calderon, Abel Ferrara and Zoe Lund, as it was transferred from the mean streets of New York into some of the poor areas of a devastated New Orleans.
Nicolas Cage plays McDonagh as though he were on a drug high, all the time. Credit must be given to him for taking a leap away from all those action films where he has appeared lately. Mr. Cage is a good actor. His take on the bad cop is one of the best things he has done on the screen. Eva Mendes is seen as Frankie. Val Kilmer, an actor that can go over the top, is almost mellow. Shaun Hatosy has nothing to do in the film. The large supporting cast does good work for Mr. Herzog.
The killing of five members of illegal Africans, brings Terence to the investigation. The crime is drug related, requiring getting in charge with the suspects in the case, something that puts the lieutenant in touch with more drugs, and the possibility to steal, or extort the same people that are under suspicion.
Terence McDonagh has a girlfriend, Frankie, who is a prostitute. He makes the mistake of getting rough with one of her clients who vows his well connected father will take care of the detective. He also has a gambling problems, betting recklessly, and almost never winning. Terence McDonagh is a man with no redeeming qualities that goes deeper and deeper into an uncharted territory as he descends into hell.
This film, directed by Werner Herzog, is based loosely on Abel Ferrara's "Bad Lieutenant", a much original movie than this sort of remake. In a way, this is a change of pace for Mr. Herzog. William Finkelstein reworked the screenplay by Victor Argo and Paul Calderon, Abel Ferrara and Zoe Lund, as it was transferred from the mean streets of New York into some of the poor areas of a devastated New Orleans.
Nicolas Cage plays McDonagh as though he were on a drug high, all the time. Credit must be given to him for taking a leap away from all those action films where he has appeared lately. Mr. Cage is a good actor. His take on the bad cop is one of the best things he has done on the screen. Eva Mendes is seen as Frankie. Val Kilmer, an actor that can go over the top, is almost mellow. Shaun Hatosy has nothing to do in the film. The large supporting cast does good work for Mr. Herzog.