Blue Wall of Silence at Center of NYC Crime Saga on DVD
The Tierneys are a tight-knit Irish-American clan with a long history of service in the NYPD. Family patriarch Francis (Jon Voight) is a highly-regarded, retired police chief who has preserved his connections to the upper echelons of the department. Frank, Jr. (Noah Emmerich), is an equally-respected precinct commander in Manhattan, while his younger brother Ray (Edward Norton) is a former narc relegated to an inconsequential desk job since an incident in the field that not only stalled his career but cost him his marriage. Their brother-in-law, Jimmy Egan (Colin Farrell), is a covertly-crooked patrolman working under Frank, Jr. whose unlawful ways are about to catch up with him, big time.
Just past the point of departure, the festive Christmas season is abruptly spoiled when four officers are murdered during a drug bust gone bad. Frank, Sr. immediately urges Ray to return to the streets to join the special task force being formed to search for the cop killers.
Ray does so reluctantly, and when the trail implicates fellow officers including his brother and brother-in-law, he finds himself facing a crisis in conscience. For he uncovers a widespread pattern of corruption indicating that the entire precinct might be in cahoots with the mobsters wreaking havoc on the local neighborhood. Then, when he tries to bring the facts to the attention of the department brass, he's met with the subtle suggestion that they'd prefer for him not to break the Blue Wall of Silence.
Will Ray participate in a cover-up, or will he risk ripping both his family and the precinct apart? That is the question at the heart of this gritty, inner-city saga. This high body-count affair was fortunate enough to be blessed with a talented cast which managed to elevate a paint-by-numbers script to an acceptable level. Edward Norton is the standout here, turning in yet another inspired performance as the anguished Ray, a complicated soul in search of redemption, and as ready to mix it up with bad guys as to beg his estranged ex for a second chance.
Serpico joins the Fight Club.
Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated R for pervasive profanity, graphic violence and brief drug use.
Running time: 125 minutes
Studio: Warner Home Video
2-Disc DVD Extras: A digital copy of the film and "The Making of" documentary,
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