Big Easy, le flic de mon coeur

Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin star in "The Big Easy," a 1986 film set in New Orleans, and also starring Ned Beatty, John Goodman, and Grace Zabriskie.

I know an attorney who won a huge civil rights case in New Orleans and then had to run for her life with her family when her life was continuously threatened. The New Orleans police force has the reputation of being the most corrupt police force in the United States. That's saying something.

That corruption is visited here in this story of a mildly corrupt cop Remy (Quaid) investigating a series of murders of low-level drug people. The assigned assistant district attorney, Anne Osborne (Barkin) assumes from the get-go, because of the presence of a cop car at one of the murders, that the police are involved.

That's the background for a hot love affair between these two sexy characters who really steam up the screen. Quaid is delightful as the high-flying Remy, and he gets to show his range as an actor - going from flirtatious playboy to a grief-stricken man. Barkin is perfect as a woman trying to stay professional but finding it nearly impossible.

This film has some serious and disturbing moments, but the locale and the actors infuse it with charm and energy. Well directed by Jim McBride, who keeps up the pace.

Recommended.

The Big Easy is a fairly straightforward thriller about police corruption - a little predictable, but with occasional clever touches - but the apparent chemistry between Quaid and Barkin is outstanding, making this one of the steamiest movies I've ever seen (much hotter than 9 1/2 weeks, and with the benefit of a plot and sympathetic characters). Accents aside (I'm only an occasional visitor to New Orleans, and not qualified to judge), the other performances are also excellent, especially Beatty and Goodman as corrupt cops, and there are also some gut-bustingly funny moments and a wonderful soundtrack. The film may not do justice to modern New Orleans, but then, what movie ever did?

"The Big Easy" is a lot of fun for native New Orleanians. I've never seen this film until yesterday, and it delighted me to see some of my former colleagues in the NOPD Detective Bureau play cops in the movie. Gus Krinke (now retired) actually did a very credible job as portraying an Internal Affairs Detective.

Yes, the 'accents' as portrayed here are unbelievable...many tourists are astonished to learn that most New Orleanians talk almost exactly like they're from Brooklyn, not some backwater swamp.

I understand Quaid enjoyed himself in New Orleans while making this movie, and it clearly shows. Grace Zabriskie (who was actually born in N.O.) was the most believable character. John Goodman liked the place so much he bought a home in the Crescent City.

Quaid and Barkin definitely put some spice in their roles...their chemistry was apparent and believable (unlike Quaid's accent), and their romance was really the only thing believable in this 'police movie'.

BTW, real New Orleans cops don't work out of 'Precinct Houses', sports fans, they're referred to as 'Districts'...New Orleans has 8 (eight) Police Districts. And I was delighted to see that the official ("unofficial") NOPD 'Vulture/star-and-Crescent' Homicide 'badge' was shown so often.

All in all, this film is a lot of fun despite its numerous technical flaws, and I give it 6 out of 10.

I found this to be a so-so modern-day film noir drama - not bad, but nothing super. To its credit, it provides a little humor to offset the ugliness.

It also provides the standard sex scenes, this one featuring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin; the seedy New Orleans atmosphere and the standard cops-are- crooked angle. The last part plays a big role in this story as even the good guy Quaid admits to numerous minor offenses. Unfortunately, you can't always understand Dennis as he gives us his Cajun accent. He sounded - and looked - as if he had marbles in his mouth.

Barkin was not as rough-talking and rough-looking as she was in a bunch of other films from the mid '80s to mid '90s, which was fine with me. New Orleans was pictured, as it so often is, as very bleak and dingy. If city residents weren't happy with this movie, I could understand that.

The ending of the film is a little hokey but overall, the story was interesting and I gave it two looks over the years, liking it better the second time.

Supposedly a dramatic crime thriller, The Big Easy also is funny at beginning, when a new District Attorney Anne Osbourne (Barkin) sudden arrives at Police department of New Orleans looking for a clue of corruption that involves bribe and something else, Remy McSwain (Dennis Quaid) was part of a long cops's family, always accepting few dollars as "Club of widows & orphans founds", his joyful manner catch the tough one Anne, growing a sexual interest in both.

However Remy was caught in a frame, indicted by accepted bribery, Anne and Remy stays in opposite ways on the Courthouse, she no longer trust him, after some minor adjustments allowed by the corrupt system he was release for lack of proofs, although it wasn't the whole story, endeed The Big Easy is plentiful entertainment , mainly supported by a smart screenplay and a distinct and great southern soundtrack, on Cajun accent, gathered fine veteran actors as Ned Beatty and Marc Lawrence and good newcomers as John Goodman and Gailard Sartain neither, Dennis Quaid made one the biggest acting ever!!

Resume:

First watch: 1993 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5.