Street Kings

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

Directed by: David Ayer

The Skinny: Haggard LAPD vice squad vet Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) isn't above bending the occasional law if it means getting scum off the streets. But when his former partner rats him out to internal affairs (headed up by Hugh Laurie) then gets mowed down in a seemingly unrelated gangland gunfight, he begins to ask questions that his on-the-rise mentor (Forest Whitaker) would rather he didn't.

The Good: Not only are the three leads (Reeves, Laurie, and Whitaker) on point, but the supporting players—including Jay Mohr, John Corbett, Cedric the Entertainer, Chris Evans, and Common—are all given time to shine. And the script (cowritten by crime author James Ellroy) has a suitably grizzled, hard-boiled feel. Plus, the movie is engrossing from the very first scene, and rarely eases up on the tension or violence.

The Bad: If you're familiar with Ellroy's work (or you've just seen L.A. Confidential) you might find yourself getting a little ahead of the movie, figuring things out well before the characters do.

You Saw That Right: The LAPD chief who delivers the eulogy during the movie's funeral scene is former LAPD chief Daryl Gates, infamous for being the man in charge during the 1992 L.A. riots that occurred after the Rodney King verdict.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Theater. This is an under-the-radar crime thriller that delivers pretty much all you can ask for. A solid two hours of cop drama.