Pur et dur

The ads tout this movie as being "produced by the guy who brought you 'Serpico', 'Scarface', and others". About the only thing this movie shares with those two is the word %&#@!.

One Tough Cop has a terrible title, but is a fun movie. More like a made for TV movie than a theatrical release, it nonetheless is entertaining. Chris Penn and Baldwin turn in good performances and the story, although cliche, is good enough to keep your attention. I gave it a 7/10.

One Tough Cop was a film that had one of the best trailers I've ever seen. It made the film look like a fascinating and powerful police drama. The film however did not get even close to the expectations of the trailer. It wasn't bad however. Just not great. Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects, Fled) stars as a police officer whose best friends are all involved in the Mob. Despite a great record, he gets framed by Internal Affairs and has to decide between his friends or his job. Chris Penn (Deceiver, The Funeral) is very good in support as Baldwin's very much in debt partner. Gina Gershon (Face/Off, Palmetto) is ok as the love interest. But the film's biggest strength lies in Stephen Baldwin. Baldwin is one of the most underrated actors in my mind (mainly because of poor career choices), but here he delivers a strong performance that brings the film through all of its predictability. Recommended for Baldwin's performance mainly.

Another story about a cop (Bo Dietl) that tries to do his job while still hanging on to his friends from the neighborhood. The fact that they are all mobsters gives the FBI an opportunity to blackmail him into working for them. He refuses and almost loses his badge.

Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects) play Dietl, trying to stay clear of the slime played by Amy Irving and Victor Slezak. Why she would take that role is beyond me. It stunk!

Of course, we have to have a hot babe, and who better to play that role that Gina Gershon (Bound, Love Matters, Sweet Revenge).

It was interesting seeing Captain Jim Brass (Paul Guilfoyle) playing a gangster role.

Based on a true character, it was OK, but you can probably find something better to watch.

Or: an ode to Bo Dietl. This is the usual hero worship from an Ed McBain wannabe. No real plot, no production values to speak off, just a lot of actors who want to be part of an "important" story. And they should know better. I found it very difficult to care about _any_ of the characters in this turgid piece of cinema. And that's even though I like Stephen Baldwin, Chris Penn and Nora Gershon.

It doesn't help that the protagonists are the usual Black nun-rapists on angel dust (or crack in this case - where did I see that before - Hill Street Blues), it doesn't help that Dietl is chumming up with the local maffia (Mike McGlone), who are ok after all, as they're just good Catholic boys from the hood. Does Mike McGlone as the local mafia hood do anything illegal other than kiss Stephen Baldwin and sit around in a restaurant looking unemployed? And what's with all this kissing stuff? I think Stephen Baldwin and Mike McGlone kiss at least three times throughout the movie?

Something must be very rotten with the police, when they and the mafia are just a bunch of good old boys and the FBI fighting corruption are just out to get a small time, hardworking cop. Right. How mean of them. I guess they just don't understand. Check out the reviews of his book at Amazon.com to read the opinions of some (probably) real cops.

In short, this is just one overly long ode to a nobody called Bo Dietl. Miss it.