Protegido Pela Lei

What a sleeper. I mean, until two days ago, I had never heard of this movie before. I rented it not knowing how it would turn out. Pleasantly surprised. Pretty straight forward and to the point, a homophobic local sheriff "stumbles" on a murder investigating a traffic accident. The murdered woman turns out not to be a woman at all, but a he/she. Then this movie takes off like a roller coaster, all of which I will not go into detail (go rent it). Some of the things that these lawmen do is absolutely unbelievable, but that is the fun of this one. It is not to be taken too serious.

This film is a solid bit of detective fiction with a Cajun noir flavor to it. Lots of shady characters trying to manipulate folks in order to keep sleazy secrets hidden get in the way of a sometimes earnest but morally mixed-up Louisiana sheriff.

If you like Raymond Chandler's stories, this should prove pleasing. Yes, the film is paced slowly, but as the sheriff in hot water finally realizes the only way to regain his honor (and perhaps his job) is by solving the case, the action picks up. Billy Bob Thornton gives another perfect performance, and Patricia Arquette is stronger than ever. Very nice directorial touches balance storytelling and artistry very well.

A good evening's entertainment.

Anyone who contributes to the blab that Mr Thornton's characterisation of Darl was too close to his equally excellent characterisation of Hank in Monster Ball is not really contributing, or thinking very deeply. I have said as much before and I will say again here; Mr Thornton is the very best character actor in the US today and one of the best in the world.

It is no surprise to find a great actor tackling scripts that are well out of the main stream, this shows a thinking caring actor who is prepared to take risks and give more credibility to the work than to the star spin offs.

This movie is not a great one, but it is a very worthwhile experience that is, at least, thought provoking and contains some very fine acting from most of it's cast. The only real problem was the writer/director combination. This is not to say that the writing or the direction was bad, on the contrary, the direction particularly was very sound and the writing was fine though a little too "formular" in its shape. It's nearly always a mistake to direct ones own work, like reading ones own poetry, it becomes very hard to let a line go in an instant, when one is aware of how long it took to birth it. The Badge is fine and has some real strengths, its weakness lies in the denouement where there is the sense of a rather obvious ball being suddenly rushed to the goal post before time runs out for the some what staged final scene.

This work is worth the effort on many fronts, B.B.Thornton is excellent and that woman! what a sterling performance she gives in a very difficult role and against all kinds of odds. If you have not seen this movie and are thinking about it, then do it and do it now!

I enjoyed "The Badge"; when it appeared on the shelves of the video store where I work, I was a little curious about how a film with Billy Bob Thornton and Patricia Arquette wound up on cable. But oh well. After seeing the film, I have to admit that it does fit more properly on a small screen where its flaws are minimized. Robby Henson - the writer/director - has a tendency to use stylish jump cuts, amateurish wipes (no one except George Lucas should EVER use wipes anymore), and sped-up shots that are at odds with the appealingly lackadaisical tone of his story. However, the acting is excellent, especially by Thornton; had the film been released in theaters, it wouldn't have been unrealistic for Lion's Gate to push him for an Oscar. That said, Arquette is also good - am I the only one who thinks she's an underrated actress? "The Badge" reminded me over and over of "The Big Easy" - which is most certainly a compliment - and while it's not the equal of that film, it does a fine job of standing on it's own two feet.

This film never had a chance as a commercial feature, but it should have been seen in spite of some weak parts. Robby Henson, directing his own material, proves he can tell a good story. If one adds to this the atmosphere of crooked politicians in Louisiana, the possibilities are endless.

The film holds one's interest until one realizes who is the person who killed Mona. The director gives a clue while the sheriff is going in a different direction, either voluntarily, or just to tease us. The other thing that is not resolved is the relationship between Darl and Carla, his stranged wife, and with his daughter, who is hanging out with the wrong crowd.

"The Badge" is a much better film than some of the trash that is being shown these days. The film owes a great deal to Billy Bob Thornton, who is the epitome of this rural sheriff. Mr. Thornton acts instinctively; he is a natural and he makes this character his own.

Also notable in the film is Patricia Arquette, who plays Scarlett, the stripper with a heart in its right place. William Devane's character should have been a lot more slimier because that's what we are expecting of him.

Will look forward to the next film by this promising director.