Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
BMW Films is gearing up for the relaunch of THE HIRE, and one of the three films is by Joe Carnahan this time (along with John Woo and Tony Scott). If you don’t know who Joe is right now, you will by the end of the year, and that’s because of this smoking hot film that is playing all over the place right now on the festival circuit:
To Harry and Moriarty-
Just saw a sneak preview of “Narc,” a new crime drama starring Jason Patric and Ray Liotta as two narcotics officer. The film was the sophomore effort of writer-director Joe Carnahan(Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane), and thanks to Tom Cruise and Paramount, will likely get some exposure into the mainstream, and deservedly so. While “Narc” plays more like a first-rate genre picture than a masterpiece, the film is a strong piece of work.
The film begins with a brief shot of a haunted, narcotics detective Nick Tellis(Jason Patric) looking gloomingly to the Detroit River. We quickly learn why Tellis seems tortured by the winds of the past thanks to a brilliant opening sequence which shows how one of Tellis’s chases ended with bloody, tragic results. This sequence seems like the work of someone with a video camera, it’s confusing, unclear, and gritty, and is brilliant in the way it echoes the mind of Tellis.
Eighteen months later, Tellis’s probation comes to a close and while the young detective requests a desk job to spend more time with his wife and young child, is lured back into duty by one of his superiors (Chi McBride), to investigate the gruesome murder of a fellow narc officer, Michael Calvess. In return, Tellis is granted his request for his partner on the case, Calvess’s succesful yet unorthodox partner, Lt. Henry Oak(Ray Liotta).
The character of Oak seems cliched at first, especially during a quick flashback scene showing Oak brutally hitting a suspect repeatedly with an eight ball. However, Oak and Calvess generate respect and a solid working relationship. Oak is an experienced officer with a quick temper but also with a lot of knowledge that Tellis hasn’t generated just yet. Oak is someone who doesn’t like a lot of questions, and Tellis doesn’t supply many.
The investigation elements sometimes seem familiar, but Carnahan and the actors make them first-rate. The typical at home scenes where Tellis’s wife is upset about her husband’s decision to return to the force are handled with much more skill and raw emotion than other pictures of this genre. The quiet, cop bonding scene spills out the painful event of Oak’s wife’s death. There are also scenes that show the vast differences in the methods of the two cops. Tellis begins to question the widow of Michael Calvess, and in a profanity ridden tirade, Oak informs Tellis never to do something like that without his permission.
As the investigation draws on, new characters are introduced and surprises occur. However, like all great films, Narc is more interested in the charecters and less in the mystery of the crime. We see how tortured Nick Tellis is and how much he feels responsible for the events of 18 months ago by returning to the one thing he can’t give up, detective work. Meanwhile, questions arise about Oak. Does he know more than he seems? Are there reasons beyond the obvious to why Oak is so interested in finding the murders and if so, what methods will he use to finish them?
As I said before, the film plays like a first-rate genre picture more than a masterpiece. The plot and most of the events are things previously explored in the picture, but Carnahan makes them feel fresh thanks to methods like split screen, and quick images, while supplying a plot reminisent of the classic 70’s crime films.
Patrick and Liotta give great performances as well. There has been talk about Liotta finally getting an Oscar nomination, I think it will depend on how many people see Narc, a picture which certianly deserves some good recognition.
After the film, Liotta, a former University of Miami student, participated in a 40-minute Q and A. Some of the highlights:
On his career- “I was a skinny kid from New Jersey who had never acted before college. I took a class that allowed you to go to New York to learn from former students. The third day I was there, I landed in a commerical and the next day, I had an agent.”
On the process of Narc being picked up by Paramount- “We filmed in 28 days on a 2.5 million budget. We started getting buzz during Sundance, and a lot of big actors, people like Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman responded favorably to the film. Tom Cruise saw it and really responded to it.”
On preparing for a film- “You have to do your research, but while(hanging out with real life charecters similar to the one you are playing) helped me initially, it doesn’t really do much in the long run. The script gives you what you need to know.”
On Scorsese- “Marty marked the first time that I worked with a director with this real passion about what he does.”
Most Fun Role- “Working with Mrs. Piggy on Muppets in Space, and I had a lot of fun with Heartbreakers.”
JMP
Excellent, man. Next up is a contributor from the UK, one of our chat regulars. Meet Truthgame:
Film Geeks of the World
I found the chat room earlier this year and have been goofing around in it ever since. This is my first review.
SPOILER FREE
(I wish I saw Truman Show, Matrix, Crying Game and a million other films not knowing anything about them… I wont fuck it up for you here)
NARC
Basic Plot
Jason Patrick is an undercover narcotics officer. During a violent chase he ends up shooting a small kid and a pregnant woman who loses her child. And to get the drift of the film – it’s as bloody as hell. Jason Patrick is suspended from the police and 18 months later… He is invited back to “consult” on the death of another undercover narcotics officer who was Ray Liotta’s colleague. At first reluctant, he embarks on the investigation with Ray Liotta as they head into the depravity of small time drug dealers, casual violence and a world where policing is based on morals not the law.
The Film
With the vastly overrated Training Day in the back of my mind I quickly got into the film. The film offers a great showcase for the lead actors and most of the secondary roles to “act.” The characters are all grey – all have there own logic and perception of right and wrong. Several characters are either recovering or functioning drug addicts. Corruption is rife and the film shows us glimpses of the sordid underbelly of drugs and crime in a city. Motive is given to every character and every character gets his/her moment to “emote.” Ultimately the film is very satisfying and its ending shocking.
The Screening
The screening was organised by Bafta (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) (identical to American Academy) Its purpose was to allow us to see the film and hopefully vote for it come awards season. The screening was held at Warner Leicester Square not the private Bafta cinema in Piccadilly. At the end of the movie there was a Q+A session with Jason Patrick and Ray Liotta who was one of the producers. It’s the first time I’ve seen Ray Liotta in the flesh and all I can think about is that voice over from Goodfellas.
Both men are a different as actors as they are as people. Ray – half wearing his producer hat, tried very hard to come across as amenable and humble. A feat he pulled off. Jason Patrick came off as an intelligent and interesting !#!”$”#. But for all his cynicism and apparent contempt for his profession he said some very interesting and smart things. (method actors of the world – he doesn’t like you)
On a tangent – I wanna’ say that I think Jason’s work in Your Friends and Neighbours is fantastic part of a fantastic film – that doesn’t get talked about enough.
Production (this information was gained via the Q+A session at end of screening) The film had a difficult birth. As a script by Joe Callahan he approached Ray Liotta’s new company (he set up to get himself better roles) and established itself as a $2m production. Jason Patrick an actor who acts less than Georges Bush passes spelling tests, came on board and with the few pennies they had the film was shot in 28 days which is remarkable when you see the film. (Its sound edit & sound mix are top notch and I doubt they could be done within that budget) Cashflow problems and crew mutinies aside the production shot in Canada. The film wrapped and a final print arrived without much of a distribution deal. At that point Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner saw the film and did a similar thing that they did with Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels and got it to the attention of Paramount. Through that the new executive producers have secured a release for the film that a decent P+A spend could mean in some mid level grosses and awards
consideration.
The film was shot in 28 Days. Do you judge the schedule or the finished film? (Did you judge Titanics budget before you saw it?) I do both. I can’t help but do that. As a film professional myself I understand the compromises and challenges of film making at any level with comfortable budgets and impossible budgets. For a film shot within its schedule and budget – the cast, technical standards and performances are spectacular. When comparing the film to Training Day – a big studio production with all the frills –
the film is a masterpiece. Sadly Training Day is a great idea with a Hollywood ending and as film standing alone Narc is good – but not great. But in year like this with only a handful of great films – Sex & Lucia, Y Tu Mama Tambien and Minority Report – the film easily makes it into my top 10 of the year.
But as a film standing alone the film has several flaws. The main problem I had with the film was showing off that each department has done. Ray Liotta put on a lot of weight and grew a goatee with his “grey” hair. (Is that appropriate to the role or making it easy to justify award recognition?) Jason Patrick – who looks perfectly sleazy and comfortable as a man used to dealing with drug dealers and criminals has his first scene accidentally causing the death of a baby and his second scene in a shower washing his fragile new son in a moment of tenderness… It was almost too easy for the actors to follow that past... The camera work is edgy – but nothing as profound as I’ve seen everywhere else. Vigorous handheld camerawork accompanies most chases and dramatic scenes. This technique is getting
very dated and very tired. I think directors and DoP’s should be a little more sophisticated when trying to show dramatic and visual scenes. When we cut back to flashbacks of years gone buy – the footage was shot on reversal stock – nothing that Robert Richardson and Malick Sayeed haven’t been doing for 15 years. The film has a cold and saturated look to it which, although appropriate is almost the easy choice. The director and producers had a chance to make a film on their terms with apparent final cut. They were striving for an edgy style – but they just rehashed everyone else’s. They had an opportunity to really stand out visually both through art department, camera and editing (who did some very silly jump cuts) and instead it’s just like every other hard edge gritty urban thriller. We have split screens, ambient music by the excellent Cliff Martiness – ut these gimmicks just take you out of the story and remind me of Arranofski’s masterpiece – Requiem For A Dream – a film that fused style and story to perfection.
Based on the answers of the Q+A session the film was pretty much shot as the script dictated. There’s plenty of great and tough dialogue, a couple of great interrogation scenes which really allow the actors to get into a good rhythm but most importantly it has a story that is morally ambiguous that offers no solutions or as a finished film – no music to tell you how to feel.
You are simply presented with the story which has Rashamon elements as one event is portrayed from several characters perspectives. At the end you have to decide who was right, who was wrong and most importantly – what you would have done yourself. A lot of the marketing exclaims the film is a throwback to the tough gritty cop movies of the 70’s and the films unrelenting tone make that desire true. You will judge the film at the end purely on your own morals and your own perception of right and wrong.
I am not a writer, nor used to writing reviews. But something compelled me to write about this movie and I see a lot of films, often before they get reviewed even here. I don’t wont to provide spoilers (let the trailers do that)… The film is good and a fantastic second movie from a director who worked with limited resources AND who is about to direct a big budget Harrison Ford film… I am looking forward to seeing more of his work. I hope Harrison doesn’t let him down.
Film fans… Go see it.
Truthgame
Thanks, both of you. Nice work.
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