COP LAND (1997) - Movie Review

Director: James Mangold
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Robert Patrick, Michael Rapaport, Janeane Garofalo, Annabella Sciorra, Noah Emmerich, Cathy Moriarty, Peter Berg, Edie Falco
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Writer: James Mangold
Runtime: 105 min
Rated: Rated R for violence, strong language and brief nudity
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Director James Mangold (FORD vs FERRARI) extends his crime thriller classic that brings together a powerhouse cast, including Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Ray Liotta and Harvey Keitel. Freddy Heflin (Stallone) is the sheriff of a New Jersey town known as "Cop Land," where the population largely consists of the big city police officers he's long admired. But something ugly is taking place behind the town's peaceful facade. When Freddy uncovers a massive, deadly conspiracy among these local residents, he is forced to take action and make a dangerous choice between protecting his idols and upholding the law.

Review:

With a strong ensemble cast and a terrific script written by James Mangold, "Cop Land" is a neo-noir thriller so powerful that not even Harvey Weinstein's incessant meddling could destroy it. At release, the film was well received by critics and audiences, and rightfully launched Mangold's career. Still, you might be better off looking for the Director's Cut to get the definitive version of Mangold's vision.

Sylvester Stallone delivers what is probably his finest performance ever comitted to film as the schlubby righteous sheriff who goes toe to toe with a small New Jersey town's community of dirty cops. Stallone was truly dedicated to this role, gaining noticeable weight and playing against type, but also smart enough to avoid grandstanding or trying to steal the spotlight. You start out feeling sorry for this guy, but soon enough he becomes the film's moral center, an unlikely hero and an instrument of retribution.

Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro are also stunning, but it's really hard to pick favorites when you have an epic cast delivering electrifying performances regardless of how long or short their parts are. Mangold was really meticulous with how these characters are written and portrayed, and the result is a rich tapestry of well-thought-out personalities. This movie has some of my all-time favorite casting choices.

Mangold also does a great job keeping all the narrative threads nice and tight, so that there's not a single wasted minute and the story is presented in a clear and efficient manner. The pacing is smooth throughout, never getting bogged down in unnecessary details. While the focus is not necessarily on action, we do get a few great sequences that demonstrate the filmmaker's ability to stage dynamic and tense moments of on-screen violence.

Whether or not "Cop Land" is perfect or just near-perfect is ultimately a matter of taste. For me, this movie is a must-see experience and an overlooked classic. I absolutely recommend it to anyone.

SCORE: 10/10