Brooklyn's Finest

Brooklyn's Finest

Brooklyn’s Finest (BF) starts out fairly uneven and clichéd, but turns into a compelling little gritty urban drama toward the end of the movie. I was totally taken aback by that.

BF centers around three main stories that are not related but are set in the same area Brooklyn.  Don Cheadle plays an undercover cop in a drug gang, but he’s in so deep that he can’t see what’s right from wrong.  Ethan Hawke plays a corrupt cop that robs drug dealers in order to help buy a house for his family.  Richard Gere plays an old uniform cop that is a few days from retirement.

The acting from the cast is what really brings the movie above some of the mundane writing.  I was really surprised how much I really dug Gere’s performance in the role of a broken down cop that doesn’t want to make waves and just wants to retire in peace. 

Another role worth noting is the role of Wesley Snipes.  Snipes plays a leader of a drug gang and he’s freely out of prison.  I found that very amusing because Snipes was heading to prison when this movie was being promoted.  This is also one of Snipes few actual theatrical released movies with him in it in recent memory.  Snipes has been living in direct to DVD hell for years now.  Snipes does a pretty good job in his limited role. 

I do have a problem with Don Cheadle’s role because it reminds me of a similar role in Traitor.  Cheadle does a great job playing a conflicted undercover officer, but I kept thinking about Traitor every time. 

The movie doesn’t shy away from nudity or violence, and I don’t have a problem with that.  After all, it is a R-rated movie. 

While I’ve praised films like Trick 'r Treat for the interwoven storylines, I have to give this movie credit for not really connecting the stories that much because each story stands on its own.  None of the main characters really know each other.  There are certain locations, such as the apartment complex, that connect all the main characters, but not much else. 

The movie has its flaws, but the acting from the cast makes this a fairly enjoyable cop drama. 

Grade:  C+