L.A. Confidential

Continuing our film studies in lectures, we have been watching several films that come under the category of film noir. LA Confidential is a confusing, yet exciting journey through 1950's Hollywood and the corruption, vanity and the nature of man. The reason that I found it confusing was that the story would suggest that the film should be presented in a certain way due to the fact that it quite clearly shows the common features of a film noir: a dangerous yet seductive woman, a twisted moral code and what is in this case, a detective story. Instead of resorting to making an immitation of a 1950's film, the producers of this film have made a 90's film with 50's roots. I found this to be very interesting throughout the film as it made you feel like you were watching something very familiar with an original twist.

After watching the film, I have found that I keep thinking about each of the characters and finding that I really related to a couple of them in very strong ways. The story surrounds Los Angeles policemen that are caught up in all kinds of corruption, sexually, politically and in terms of drug abuse. Counter balancing this is the seemingly pure concience of an aspiring detective Edmund Exley who lives his life trying to succeed where his father failed. Wendell "Bud" White is a violent and fiery cop that is often used as the muscle for tough jobs. The story arc between these two cross several times throughout the film and with a third cop, Jack Vincennes, who is only truely concerned with his personal wealth and fame.

I think that I related mostly to the experience of Exley as he tried his very hardest to be pure and noble in his job. He constantly puts his reputation on the line in order to do the right thing and stands by what he beleives in for a very long time but it clearly puts a strain on him. I really felt a connection with him as I have faced similar experiences of being outcast because of what I do and what I beleive in, especially when it comes to my relationship with God and how I respond to it.

Exley's fear of doing the things wrong that his father did is something that I have seen in both my own Dad and myself aswell. I think many sons fear to inherit the darker characteristics of their fathers and they were most likely subject to them. I did also find Bud to be a very interesting character that I could empathise with. He had a real anger towards woman-beaters due to a horrific event when he was a child and it had clearly changed the core of who he was. I could see how that could happen and I could start to understand who he was based on this. Jack is a policemen who has completely lost sight of why he became a policemen in the first place, towards the end of the film there is a real feel of salvation when he starts to collaborate with Exley. Exley seems to act as a catalist for the whole station to realise why they became policemen in the first place. They do the best job they can and in a just way.

For me the most facinating thing about the film was that both Exley and Bud both end up becoming exactly what they set out not to. Exley shoots a man in the back, something that he said his Father did: He used this as an example of the kind of actions he wanted to completely avoid but yet he gets dragged into doing it. Bud, as mentioned earlier, had set out to stop people who abuse women, yet in his anger he strikes his lover. Maybe this is a comment on the corruption of man or maybe it is simply a clever way to make the characters more believable.

I really enjoyed L.A. Confidential, it was exciting and gripping in all the right ways. Do watch it if you havent before! Yes thats right! Even if you do despise Russel Crowe!