The Son of No One - 2011

Millennium Films, Nu Image Films, Hannibal Pictures

Directed by Dito Montiel

Cast:

• Officer Jonathon White – Channing Tatum
• Kerry White – Katie Holmes
• Captain Charles Stanford – Al Pacino
• Captain Marion Mathers – Ray Liotta
• Loren Bridges – Juliette Binoche
• Officer Thomas Prudenti – James Ransone

Story: Jonathon White, the son of a police officer killed in the line of duty is raised in the Queensboro projects by his grandmother. His life is unbelievable hell, living in the midst of addicts and dealers and child molesters, and he is constantly in fear. In self defense, he kills a junkie who is stealing his grandmother's welfare checks, and when the dealer starts to kick his dog, he pushes him down the stairs and the dealer breaks his neck. Detective Stanford knows the truth, but also knows the circumstances and closes the cases as unsolved. Sixteen years later, he has chosen to join the police force and is assigned to the same precinct as he lived in when he grew up. Captain Mathers is just about to take over from now Captain Stanford, when letters begin to appear in a local paper accusing Stanford of concealing two murders in the projects. Pressure is brought to bear on White, who Mathers' suspects of writing the letters, but to further cover up the crime, Mathers and Stanford plot to kill a childhood friend of White's and frame him for the murders.

Review: When I watched this film, I was impressed with the acting, the plot, and the characters. What I was not impressed with was the film itself. The story is an impressive, courageous look at life in the projects, a place where we house the welfare cheats, drug dealers, and other scum of society in the hopes they will remain in the confines of their own jungle. Channing Tatum's character is a nice white boy growing up in a not-so-nice environment with little hope of surviving from day to day. Al Pacino is the cop who understands what kind of life the child lives, and when he sees the desperation of his existence, he covers the murders to protect the child. Ray Liotta is the personified vision of what most people believe NYPD is all about, a warden in the asylum, worried about nothing more than keeping his cops and his reputation alive. If the story had been told from front to back instead of jerking us back and forth in time, I think it would have merited a release to the big screen here in the US. As it is, the distributor was right in releasing this film in the overseas market and bringing it to the states in DVD release. With the exception of Katie Holmes, whose performance lacks the depth of emotion a police wife should have, the cast does an admirable job, and this film is worth a look. Rated R for violence, language, and a disturbing sex scene, this film is not collectible, and is certainly a second tier rental.

Heat - 1995

Warner Bros. Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Forward Pass

Written and directed by Michael Mann

Cast:

• Lt. Vincent Hanna – Al Pacino
• Neil McCauley – Robert De Niro
• Chris Shiherlis – Val Kilmer
• Nate – Jon Voight
• Micheal Cherrito – Tom Sizemore
• Justine Hanna – Diane Venora
• Eady – Amy Brenneman
• Charlene Shiherlis – Ashley Judd
• Sgt. Drucker – Mykelti Williamson
• Detective Casals – Wes Studi
• Bosko – Ted Levine
• Donald Breedan – Dennis Haysbert
• Roger Van Zant – William Fichtner
• Lauren Gustafson – Natalie Portman
• Kelso – Tom Noonan
• Trejo – Danny Trejo

Story: A professional burglary crew that specializes in high end merchandise is pulling jobs in Los Angeles that go off with military precision. The Major Crimes bureau gets the call, and starts nosing around to find the evidence, which is damn little. Lt. Hanna, the chief investigator, is a driven man who places his job above everything in his life, and it is taking its toll. Neil McCauley, the leader of the crew, has nothing in his life, and it is taking its toll. We get a glimpse into the personal lives of all the criminals, their families, and their cold precision. We listen to Lt. Hanna work the informants, and marvel at the way he puts the pieces together to find the crew. But every time he thinks he has a chance, he has no evidence with which to make a case. The drama builds and the plot thickens in this dark suspense story which only Michael Mann could bring to you.

Review: Okay, I have to preface this by telling you I am a huge fan of Micheal Mann, so if my praise for the man seems a bit over the top, you know why. Al Pacino has figured prominently in many of my reviews, so no surprise he delivers another stellar performance in this epic that reunites his with his Godfather II costar, Robert De Niro, who also delivers in his best “tough guy” style. The cast list above may seem a little long, but it could be longer, since there are a few other superb actors in the film, such as Martin Ferrero, Henry Rollins, Hank Azaria, and Jeremy Piven. The list above represents a powerhouse of a cast, though. Ferrero and Noonan have worked with Mann many times before, and I would imagine their inclusion represents a strong suggestion on Mann's part, but they both perform their roles well. This is one of those films where we see the entire canvas, not just one or two parts of the painting. We discover what drives these men, and their women. The settings are perfect, the photography Oscar worthy, and in spite of a run time of just over 2 hours, keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat. Lots of gun play and bad language, a few scenes of with implied sex, so no need to watch this when the kids are up and about. Definitely a collectible, one you will love to watch over and over again.

The Devil's Advocate - 1997

Warner Brothers Pictures, New Regency Pictures, Kopelson Entertainment

Directed by Taylor Hackford

Cast:

• John Milton – Al Pacino
• Kevin Lomax – Keanu Reeves
• Mary Ann Lomax – Charlize Theron
• Eddie Barzoon – Jeffery Jones
• Alice Lomax – Judith Ivey
• Christabella Andreoli – Connie Nielson
• Alexander Cullen – Craig T. Nelson
• Jackie Heath – Tamara Tunie
• Leamon Heath – Ruben Santiago-Hudson
• Philipe Moyez – Delroy Lindo

Story: Kevin Lomax is having one hell of a run. Sixty four cases, no losses. He's celebrating his latest victory when he's interrupted by a black man with an offer. Come to New York City and pick a jury for trial. First class tickets, top shelf hotel, all expenses paid, and a retainer check that looks like his annual earnings. He picks the jury, the client wins. John Milton of Milton, Chadwick and Hart offers Kevin a job, if he can deal with the pressure. And the pressure will be much more than Kevin can imagine. He's thrust into one case after another, and while he knows his clients are guilty, he also knows he has to win if it costs him everything, his wife, his marriage, perhaps even his soul.

Review: Lawyers. The ideal setting for a story of good versus evil. And Pacino is the perfect man to play Milton, the head of the powerhouse law firm who seems to know everyone who is anyone. Keanu Reeves, one hell of an actor who apparently doesn't listen to advice when it comes to picking roles (The Day The Earth Stood Still remake, Johnny Mnemonic, etc.), found the right role with Pacino. The two of them go hand in hand like ham and eggs. For the toast and orange juice, add Charlize Theron and Tamara Tunie, and don't forget the strawberry jam, Jeffrey Jones as Eddie Barzoon. This cast is perfect, and the story moves quickly to keep you caught up in the action. Pacino, master of the soliloquy, is magnificent, and seems to enable the rest to bring their performances up to his level. Nudity, violence, sex, and language all make this a pass for the kids, but the grown ups ought to enjoy it. Collectible for the Pacino lovers, not so much for the rest.

City Hall - 1996

Castle Rock Entertainment, Columbia Pictures

Directed by Harold Becker

Cast:

• Mayor John Pappas – Al Pacino
• Deputy Mayor Kevin Calhoun – John Cusack
• Marybeth Cogan – Bridget Fonda
• Alderman Frank Anselmo – Danny Aiello
• Judge Walter Stern – Martin Landau
• Abe Goodman – David Paymer
• Paul Zapatti – Tony Franciosa
• Larry Schwartz – Richard Schiff

Story: Politics is the business of keeping your ear to the ground, even when you've already been elected. Case in point: an idealistic young man from the south hooks up with the Mayor of New York City to become second in command. As the right hand man, its up to him to let the Mayor know what's important and what is going to be on the news. Without warning, a narcotics cop meets with a known drug dealer and cousin of a notorious mob boss, and they both end up dead, along with an innocent bystander, a six year old African American boy. An investigation ensues that threatens to unearth a long hidden pattern of corruption that leads to the highest levels of NYC government, and may shatter the illusions of the well meaning but naive deputy mayor.

Review: This film did not do well at the box office, probably because the drama is mostly in the dialog. There are a few tense moments, but most of the suspense and tension in the film come from Pacino's dynamic personality and Cusack's charm. Which is not to say the film is without merit. As a political thriller, it is probably more accurate in the way events are handled than most. You see the people in the mix, you see the steps that have to be taken, and you see the politics involved. Pacino's soliloquy at the funeral of the murdered child is nothing short of incredible, but soliloquy is what Al does best. Splendid performances by Aiello, Landau, Paymer, and Schiff fill out the plot with color and flair, and almost make up for the lackluster Fonda and the much too stereotypical Franciosa. Not at the top of my list, but definitely not at the bottom. Collectible if you are a lover of Pacino or Cusack, rated R for language and violence.