Harvey Keitel gives the performance of a lifetime in a brilliant, unflinchingly gritty street ballad that holds up next to Scorcese's greatest moments. A depressingly underrated character study, Bad Lieutenant is truly Abel Ferrara's masterpiece, and a high point in independent cinema of the 90's.
Harvey Keitel plays a New York cop who, to put it bluntly, is a pretty awful person. Throughout the film, we watch as he goes from situation to situation exploring the depths of depravity and corruption. Ferrara keeps it voyeuristic -- Keitel is often shot from a distance, and he is presented without judgment. This matter-of-fact approach to his character is what makes this film so believable, so real. Keitel is portrayed not as a monster, but as what he is -- a human. As easy as it is to hate him (and boy, is it easy), it is just as easy to forgive him -- a point which is highlighted by the religious themes and Catholic imagery throughout. And ultimately, it really is a film more concerned with forgiveness and redemption than power and corruption. All of the evils perpetrated by our protagonist build over the course of 90 minutes and lead to a final act of humanity. He is not necessarily vindicated, but he is most certainly human.
It's not a feel-good film, and it's unpleasantness is not always easy to endure, but Bad Lieutenant is a powerful, rewarding film experience. One of the absolute best of its kind. 9 out of 10.
Harvey Keitel plays a New York cop who, to put it bluntly, is a pretty awful person. Throughout the film, we watch as he goes from situation to situation exploring the depths of depravity and corruption. Ferrara keeps it voyeuristic -- Keitel is often shot from a distance, and he is presented without judgment. This matter-of-fact approach to his character is what makes this film so believable, so real. Keitel is portrayed not as a monster, but as what he is -- a human. As easy as it is to hate him (and boy, is it easy), it is just as easy to forgive him -- a point which is highlighted by the religious themes and Catholic imagery throughout. And ultimately, it really is a film more concerned with forgiveness and redemption than power and corruption. All of the evils perpetrated by our protagonist build over the course of 90 minutes and lead to a final act of humanity. He is not necessarily vindicated, but he is most certainly human.
It's not a feel-good film, and it's unpleasantness is not always easy to endure, but Bad Lieutenant is a powerful, rewarding film experience. One of the absolute best of its kind. 9 out of 10.
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