Customer Reviews

Narc [VHS]

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Narc" is one of those films almost everyone missed in theaters - and yet - through the magic of video, is destined to join the short list of the greatest crime thrillers ever made.

Because its plot has been previously discussed so wonderfully by other Amazon reviewers, I won't add anything more beyond saying writer-director Joe Carnahan has crafted one of the most taut and wrenching screenplays in recent memory, complete with a shocking ending that has you sighing in amazement.

You think you've seen everything in cop thrillers, and in many respects, you have indeed with "Narc." Yes, this is a story about two tarnished cops.

But what's compelling and different are the spectacular, wondrous performances by Ray Liotta, Jason Patric and the entire supporting cast.

Everyone associated with this production (who reportedly worked for near nothing), should feel proud of their efforts. You never get the feeling "Narc" is a low-budget picture. It feels like a big studio film, with one huge difference. Instead of a conventional and commercial narrative with everything tied at the end, you get something more believable.

Without giving away the ending, which initially feels baffling - when you think about it some more, you come away knowing that a legacy associated with a "horrifying yet humane" secret buried by one cop for puzzling reasons - is inherited with greater clarity - by the other cop for eternity.

Hands down, this is a film driven by fabulous performances, a complex script and a free-wheeling, dangerous atmosphere offering the grittiness of the best crime films made during the 1970s. If you like films like "The French Connection," "Dog Day Afternoon," and "Serpico" - or more recently - films like "Goodfellas," "Casino" and "Training Day," you will love "Narc."

Yes, Jason Patric is fantastic. But Ray Liotta deserves special mention. In my mind, Liotta lays down the best performance of his career, better than his more memorable turn in Martin Scorcese's "Goodfellas." He's absolutely electric and so suited for this role that it's impossible to think of anyone topping it. It's a letter-perfect, towering role that feels improvised from beginning to end. When he's on screen, you can't take your eyes off him. When he speaks, you're mesmerized. The experience is like watching Gene Hackman come alive for the first time on his own in 1971's "The French Connection."

The "R" rating is for violence and profanity. There's no sex, no gratuitous, over-the-top filler and nothing that makes you groan with that "I've seen it all before" disgust. Even if you disagree with the plot, what remains is acting fireworks impossible to dismiss. No one is trying to hard to win awards in "Narc," yet in retrospect, it deserved so much more from Academy members who missed it. It even plays better, emotionally, than "Traffic," another fine film that won awards but had its energy dissipated across a huge ensemble cast.

That's OK. A lot of films become "classic" without winning a thing. "Narc" will be one of 'em. Wait ten years and you'll see.

Narc is perhaps one the most original, exciting and gritty movies on police corruption since Serpico. If you're looking for a no nonsense movie filled with plot twists, great acting, and suspense this movie is for you. Hands down, the cast was amazing and believable. I am happy that Ray Liotta selected this project because he hasn't been this good in a movie since the Goodfellas! You will leave the movie shaken as if Ray was yelling down your throat. I am also thankful that Jason Patric(who is a underrated actor)decided to stop taking useless roles such as Speed 2 Cruise Control and instead took on a role where he could show the movie audience his intelligence and rising star. Joe Carnahan also had a lot to prove as he did shed his Tarantino-wannabe style from his first movie. Other movies in the police corruption genre such as Training Day were lead by great actors as well, yet their big budget did ruin its authenticity. However even with a very small budget, Carnahan was still able to make a very authentic slick piece of filmaking. Narc was dark and gritty in many ways such as its violence. The violence was strong and brutal especially in the jaw dropping opening scene and the unforgettable ending, so do take that under consideration before taking young children into the picture. This film is a true gem, it's indeed a film worth driving to select theatres to see it, you will love it.

this film was COMPLETELY overlooked by any of the major film institutions in terms of the awards that it rightfully deserved. every single performance in the film was on par...even the archetypal junkies and police chief that arent in the film for more than a half an hour a piece. the direction was excellent..as well as the writing, and its no surprise that one man did both. Some may say that this director tried too hard at showing off his many styles of filming a scene (shaky camera's, blue lenses, etc)...but really, each technique was fitting to each situation.

I know that the production of the film was almost the reason for its downfall, due to a lack of steady pay for the cast and crew memebers, but thank whoever it is that you thank in these situations that this film didnt crumble in the end. Luckily alot of different people jumped on board after its unveling at Sundance (Tom Cruise, Ray Liotta actually produced it as well as act the role of a main character)
Let me just say this....don't even think for one second that this is a nice, campy, predictalbe, standard cop film where they wrap it up in the end......this is so much more than that. this movie is struggle, it's regret, the persuit of purity, and so, so much more. if it wasn't for the slapped-on label of a Paramount Picture, this is pure art. If this film did well in the box offices, its was simply because of the power and rawness of the film, and not over-marketing or late-night promos for 2 weeks straight on letterman, leno, and o-brian. OWN THIS AND CRY.....maybe not from joy, either.

With recent documentaries, A Decade Under the Influence and Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, '70s American cinema is enjoying a resurgence and championed by critics as the last great decade of Hollywood filmmaking. Joe Carnahan is the latest filmmaker to draw upon '70s cinema for inspiration with his new film, Narc, an edgy drama about police corruption.

There are several extras included on the DVD that explore various aspects of Narc. First up is an audio commentary by the film's writer and director, Joe Carnahan and the film's editor, John Gilroy. The two men are obviously close friends as evident from the familiarity between them. They joke and talk about all sorts of anecdotal material about the making of the film. Carnahan, in particular, is very entertaining as he gives most of his comments a spin of self-deprecating humour.

"Narc: Making the Deal" covers the origins of the movie. Carnahan talks about how it started off as a short film inspired by Errol Morris' famous documentary, The Thin Blue Line (1988), about the murder of a police officer.

"Narc: Shooting Up" examines the limitations of working on an independent film. The production ran into all sorts of problems, including running out of money. Liotta and his wife spent time drumming up completion funds while the dedicated cast and crew continued to work without being paid.

The look of the film is explored in "Narc: The Visual Trip." Carnahan talks about how certain films were framed and composed.

Finally, "The Friedkin Connection" is a ten-minute love fest by the famous filmmaker who is clearly impressed by Carnahan's movie.

Narc is a gritty, character driven crime drama in the best tradition of '70s American cinema but given a contemporary stylistic update that is reminiscent, at times, of the films of Michael Mann (Thief) and Steven Soderbergh (Traffic). Paramount has done a fine job packaging a pristine print of the movie with a nice collection of extras that are a notch above the usual fluff, promotional pieces that are created for recent films.

Jason Patric (in his first film role in almost 4 years) plays a Detroit narcotics cop kicked off the force following a bust gone bad. Ray Liotta, in one of his best roles, is an unstable cop who's been investigating the murder. Patric and Liotta are forced to work together and form an uneasy alliance. NARC explores this case, as well as the relationships between Liotta and Patric as well as Patric's relationship to his wife (Krista Bridges) and infant son.

NARC is not anything new, and you'll likely figure out the plot twists pretty easily. However, it's well-done, and the acting is top notch. The director (Joe Carnahan) has done a good job capturing a raw quality of police work, making NARC much more believable than many recent police thrillers. As a result, the relatively low budget of the film (7.5 million) doesn't show.

EXTRAS: Extras include a good director's commentary. In addition, there are several behind-the-scences documentaries, including one with director William Friedkin ("French Connection") discussing the evolution of cop dramas.

Being down this territory of gritty police dramas countless times("French Connection", "Training Day", "Manhunter", etc.), the thing that struck me about "Narc" is that I didn't care about that fact. In the film's shocking opening sequence, we see narcotics officer Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) involved a tragic turn of events that leaves him suspended from duty. So its surprising to him when over a year later, he's asked to look into the murder of another narcotics officer that has went cold. He ends up being partnered with that officers' partner, Henry Oak (played to perfection by Ray Liotta) and sent on a trail of addicts and dealers to solve the crime. But in the end, how far are they willing to go for the truth, and what will it truly cost both of them? Both Patric and Liotta are incredible in the portryal of men who have suffered great pain, and are tortured by it constantly. The visuals in this movie are solid and often range from the creative (a stunning split-screen montage of interogations) to the simple (a extended monologue involving Oak and his past shot through a highly relfective car window). "Narc" ulitmately ends like it should: with no easy answers, and no assurances to anyone's true fate after the final, shocking revealation. It's truly an incredible movie, and among my favorites this year. Highly Recommended.

I saw NARC at Sundance in Jan 2002. From the opening scene I was on my chair's edge with a racing heart - don't stroll in late for this movie! I thought I had it figured out, but I was wrong. It kept me interested and thinking. It's gritty and dark, but does have a few light scenes that introduce ironic levity.
It's a cop story with a brain and complexity. I recommend it!

I was really impressed with Narc. I was expecting a run of the mill good cop bad cop flick. Never judge a DVD by it's cover. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. This film was gritty and didn't spare the audience any reality for the sake of easy viewing. This film is filled with tragedy and suspense. Narc will have you hooked from the opening scene. The last 30 minutes of this film is as intense as any other I have seen.

Ray Liotta puts on what I would say is his best performance to date. If Denzel Washington was worthy of an oscar for Training Day so is Liotta for Narc. This film puts Training Day to shame. Jason Patric also puts on a great performance. I know he had to sort of step aside and let Liotta take the spotlight. I think that's actually what makes Jason Patric so great in this film. His ability to compliment Liotta's character while at the same time making his character almost equally appealing to the viewer is astonishing. There aren't too many actors out there nowadays that can do that or are willing to. Jason Patric's un-selfishness pays off big time.

I give Narc a well deserved 5 stars.

Does anyone here remember Speed 2? No? Good. becuase anyone who has seen that film will find if hard to believe that the wooden, stiff and stilted actor (not Sandra Bullock) in the lead role is the same as the one in this small time independent masterpiece. but, and i assure you, it is.

Jason Patric is brilliant as the guilt ridden cop on a last case, bringing depth to the character and making the viewer feel for him when he encounters both the good and the bad through the course of this movie.

So too is Ray Liotta, whose Henry Oak character is one of the most impressive "cop on the edge" characters since they first started doing movies about cops on the edge.

The supporting cast is good too, especially the police chief character, the infected informant, and Busta Rhymes's near-cameo as one of the suspects.

The director also helps things along, shooting it with a gritty, almost noirish colour, and making good use of editing and flashbacks, and he keeps the action from getting over the top, letting the characters fire off far more than the weaponry, with a great soundtrack to boot.

This film was produced by Tom Cruise, and it actually reflects this: it's not very big, but is eminently watchable. independent film at it's best.

the performances here are first rate. from the leads all the way down to the supporting characters. no punches are pulled in the telling of this story. simply put, this movie is crazy intense. i couldnt look away from the movie i was so wrapped up into it. jason patric is forgiven for speed 2. ray liotta is great. the camera work and direction is perfect. i was tense and uncomfortable during this movie- thats the way it makes u feel! a great film.