He has survived on the streets for twenty years. He’s a gambler…a thief…a killer and a cop. Now’s he’s investigating the most shocking case of his life, and as he moves closer to the truth, his self-destructive past is closing in. Harvey Keitel gives a searing performance as an out-of-control police detective on a collision course with disaster in director Abel Ferrara’s brilliant and deeply disturbing crime drama.Proving that he may be the most fearless actor of his or any other generation, Harvey Keitel gives an amazing, no-holds-barred performance in director Abel Ferrara’s uncompromising 1992 film about a New York cop on the edge of self-annihilation. The film’s title is meant to be taken literally: Keitel’s character has no redeeming values whatsoever, save for his desperate need for redemption. Leonard Maltin’s Movie & Video Guide is correct in calling this an “over-the-top Catholic guilt movie,” but it’s been made with such conviction that Ferrara and Keitel transcend the sheer unpleasantness of the material to give it a kind of tragic divinity. Here’s a character so vile and corrupted that he consumes or re-sells the drugs he confiscates, but when he’s assigned to investigate the brutal rape of a nun who refuses to press charges, he feels that this is his opportunity to redeem his rotten soul. Deservedly rated NC-17 due to its rough content and a frontal nude scene that even Keitel’s most loyal fans could do without, this film tends to divide viewers into love-it-or-hate-it categories, but few could deny its raw power and the deeply anguished humanity that Keitel brings to his role. Whatever your reaction may be, few would deny this is an unforgettable film. –Jeff Shannon
Buy “Bad Lieutenant” For Only $13.05
Related Blogs
- Related Blogs on Lieutenant
- Download Full Movie Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans …
March 19, 2010
#1
There are no redeeming qualities about the script, which overwhelms its viewers with drugs, corruption and violence until the lieutenant meets his untimely end. It is a movie that contains so much depravity, which is brilliantly portrayed that it will leave you feeling depressed once its over. Don’t let children watch it because it could corrupt their minds. My advice is don’t buy it, if you must see it rent it, but remember, you’ve been warned!
March 19, 2010
#2
If you are a jaded, cynical person with a rotten view of life (and these days, who isn’t?) you’ll…well, you won’t necessarily “enjoy” this movie, but it will satisfy you in the same way that manic-depressives satisfy themselves with razorblades.
Will appeal to the same folks who reveled in the violence and/or depravity of “Natural Born Killers,” “Happiness,” “Boogie Nights,” “American Beauty,” etc.
March 19, 2010
#3
Although this is an older movie, I felt compelled to write a review after I recently saw it. Besides the fact that this movie has no redeeming moral values at all, it is also utterly depressing. After watching this I wondered what the actual point of this movie is. It seems like the director is trying to make some profound statement about the human condition, but I fail to fully understand his message. If you really want to see a classic movie dealing w/ corrupt cops then go rent Serpico. It made me sick to think that there probably are morally unjust cops like Harvey Keitel’s character.
Do yourself a favor and dodge this absolutely stagnant garbage. I would easily watch Shaq-Fu continuously, than suffer through this film again. If you decide to disregard my words and rent this movie, then make sure you bathe yourself in holy water after it’s over.
March 19, 2010
#4
MY MOVIE REVIEW RUBRIC (03/20/06 VERSION):
I. CONTENT (OUT OF 3 POSSIBLE STARS PLUS BONUS): 2.75
A. PHILOSOPHICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPTH — LEVEL OF THOUGHTFULNESS OF THE MOVIE; PHILOSOPHICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL SOPHISTICATION, CLARITY, IMPORTANCE AND IMPLICATION; 0 STARS: LOW-BROW MOVIE; 1 STAR: MIDDLE BROW MOVIE; 2 STARS: HIGH-BROW MOVIE — (OUT OF 2 POSSIBLE STARS): 1.25
COMMENTS: This movie tries to explore Christian doctrine of forgiveness. At its best, as in Martin Luther King’s movement this doctrine is effective, at its worst, as in the cover-up of priest abuses this doctrine is irresponsible.
Forgiving rapers in my opinion is irresponsible as they likely to reofend. Giving substantial sum of money to rapers it’s a bit tricky. On one hand the poor men are who usually rape so giving them money would afford them a wife, a date, or at least a hooker. But when money run out – back to raping again?
The cop should’ve bought with those money two full scholarships to some community college or university so they can get a trade or an education and get on with their lives.
Laudably, film denotes stupidity of gambling.
B. ORIGINALITY — LEVEL THE MOVIE IS NON-FORMULAIC, NON-CLICHÉ WITH ORIGINAL ENDING & SCREENPLAY —(OUT OF 1 POSSIBLE STAR): 1
COMMENTS: The movie is highly original with a great ending.
* BONUS FOR DARING TO DEAL WITH
CONTROVERSIAL/UNPOPULAR/TOUCHY TOPICS (UP TO 0.5 ADDITIONAL STARS): 0.5
COMMENTS: Having Jesus screaming during the rape of a nun probably had made many protestant and catholic fundamentalists angry.
II. PRODUCTION (OUT OF 2 POSSIBLE STARS PLUS BONUS): 1.75
C. ACTORS’ PERFORMANCE — LEVEL TO WHICH ACTORS GET INSIDE THEIR CHARACTER AND CREATE EFFECTIVE PLAY — (OUT OF 1 POSSIBLE STARS): 1
COMMENTS: Great play by the main actor who is very effective in portraying a corrupt, screwed-up cop.
D. TECHNICAL QUALITY — LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS OF AUDIO/VISUALS; APPROPRIATE LENGTH OF THE MOVIE ETC… —(OUT OF 1 POSSIBLE STARS): .75
COMMENTS: Interesting switching between rape imagery with theological imagery and drug-induced state imagery.
*BONUS FOR DARING TO CREATE A MOVIE ON A LOW BUDGET (0.5 ADDITIONAL STARS FOR MOVIES UNDER HALF MILLION DOLLARS, 0.25 ADDITIONAL STARS FOR MOVIES UNDER ONE MILLION DOLLARS)
TOTAL STAR RATING: 4.5 (approximated to 5 stars for Amazon.com)
MY BALANCED MPAA RATING (NOT BIASED IN FAVOR OF VIOLENCE AND AGAINST SEXUALITY) – G: NO VIOLENCE, NO SEXUALITY; PG: OK SLIGHT VIOLENCE, OK SLIGHT SEXUALITY; PG-13: OK MODERATE VIOLENCE, OK MODERATE SEXUALITY; R: OK EXPLICIT VIOLENCE, OK EXPLICIT SEXUALITY; NC-17 OK EXTREME VIOLENCE; OK EXTREME SEXUALITY – :
R (explicit violence at R level, while rape is a grave act of violence, it cannot be qualified for extreme level since it doesn’t depicts a rape-murder; moderate sexuality at PG-13 level, not enough explicit in showing nudity for an R rating)
March 19, 2010
#5
I love Harvey Keitel movies, but not this one.
It was painfully bad to watch.
It reminded me of when Dan Aykroyd used to do his
skit on Saturday Night Live, “Bad Cinema.”
I love bad movies too, because sometimes they are
so bad that they are good; however, this one is not one
of them. Luckly, the price is so cheap that if you buy it
anyway you wont be losing much. Don’t say you weren’t warned.