Internal Affairs - Trau' ihm, er ist ein Cop

The subject here (police corruption) is banal, but it gains extra value and weight by Figgis' atmospheric direction and, especially, by Richard Gere's powerful performance in perhaps his most atypical role (and as far as I know, his only truly villainous one). After watching him in this film, I don't know how some people can still doubt that he's a talented actor as well an attractive star. The rest of the cast is also good. The finale, however, is somewhat disappointing. (**1/2)

This movie is one of the most tightly packed white-knuckle nail-biting suspense-thriller I have ever seen. The script and the background music are excellent. Richard Gere is in his top form as the cool-headed negative-lead in this movie. Andy Garcia always surprises me being such a little man in size but having such a heavy screen-personality (not to mention his penetrating eyes). Think of the difference between his roles in "Ocean's Eleven" and "The Untouchables". I personally admire Nancy Travis not only for her being a stunningly beautiful smart woman (she has the loveliest hair too) but also for her natural gift of acting ability, her throw of words, expression on her face, her movements, the way she carries herself ("Three Men and a Baby", "Three Men and a Little Lady", "Running Mates"). I don't know why she has never been the "most-demanded" actress in Hollywood! Laurie Metcalf was a perfect selection as Amy Wallace in this movie. The movie winds up to become a sharp quadruple in the end with these four people. I rate it 9 and ½ out of 10.

Atmospheric drama about a good cop (Andy Garcia) going after a bad cop (Richard Gere). What sets it apart is the interplay between the two leads.

My girlfriend's ex-husband worked on the set during production and she told me that the fight scenes in the film were real. Andy Garcia and Richard Gere really went at it in the elevator. The wounds they had were real, not fake. After filming had been completed, Garcia refused to attend the post-production party.

Knowing this, watch the film again. The tension between the two is palpable in just about every scene they're in together. Which makes for a pretty decent movie.

Meet Dennis Peck, a real live sociopath. And he's got a badge and a gun. This character might be one of the most truly evil creations in the movies. On the surface, he seems like a terrific guy, a wonderful dad who plays with his kids on his days off. Even his ex-wives like him. But he's used his influence and his skill at manipulating people to create a virtual empire of wealth and power. Andy Garcia is excellent as Raymond Avila, who stumbles across this web and begins to dismantle it. The level of supporting actors is fantastic, much better than most movies. Standouts include Nancy Travis as Andy's wife, Laurie ("Roseanne") Metcalf as his partner, and a young William Baldwin as Peck's partner. I rate this movie 8 out of 10.

I have never quite seen a movie like this before. In it, Richard Gere plays his most sinister role and I think his best character in years. There are many disturbing elements in this film and most of them are perpetrated by Richard Gere's Dennis Peck. He knows how to manipulate people to get what he wants and if that doesn't work he uses other measures.

The story goes like this: Richard Gere plays a cop that everyone owes a favour to. He is everyone's friend and everyone's silent worst enemy. He also lives a little above his income should allow him too and this is why he is being investigated by internal affairs. Enter Andy Garcia as Raymond, in a mesmerizing performance. These two know they are going to square off in the film and Peck has fun tormenting him.

Peck is a charismatic, good looking, wealthy play boy. He knows how to use what he has to his advantage, and that eventually means playing with Raymond's head to make him think that he is sleeping with his wife. Did I mention that he is intuitive? And this is established so brilliantly in one of their first meetings together that it makes you cringe.

Peck introduces himself to Raymond and at first he seems very co-operative assuring Raymond that he realizes Ray has a job to do just like he does. But the conversation takes an abrupt turn when Peck begins to hit too close to home when he begins to question how good Raymond's love life is right now. He knows he spends too much time at the office and that he has a beautiful, young wife that may be neglected. The scene works beautifully and sets up the psychological battle that takes place between the two as the film goes on. The next scene they have with each other is enough to make every man cringe at the cruelty of it.

Internal Affairs is a character study at it's finest. There are few films out there that can compare to this one and that can be attributed to the director, Mike Figgis. He hits every note perfectly and the performances he gets from his cast is such a joy to watch. I am surprised that Andy Garcia hasn't gone on to be bigger than he is because he was outstanding here.

This is an absolute must see for anyone that hasn't had the pleasure of doing so yet. But beware, there are some scenes that will get under your skin, especially if you spend too much time at the office and you have a beautiful woman waiting for you at home. What is she doing right now? Who is she with? Are you paranoid or are your concerns real? This film has fun with that paranoia.