Dark Blue Script Review

“Dark Blue is the quintessential page-turner. Call me evil, but I was hooked to this demented cop drama by page two, on which the first of several cold ruthless killings takes place. Naturally, a senseless murder that early in the game is the perfect ingredient needed to wet the appetite of readers (and watchers), and apparently, that idea wasn't overlooked. A handful of surprisingly complex characters thereafter manage to sustain that easily won interest for the remainder of the script. And on the whole, Dark Blue is a job well done. It's only when one starts to ask questions like, 1. why exactly the movie needs to be set in pre-Rodney King verdict LA, and 2. if the movie really leaves anything provocative behind, that we enter into a nebulous critique cloud. But because I doubt most people will actually sit back and assess this movie on those levels, on the whole, Dark Blue is a well-written screenplay that, thank goodness, offers an alternative to the trite 'goodie-two-shoes-cop-saving-the-day' scenario.

Kurt Russell, Ving Rhames, Scott Speedman (Felicity), and Michael Michele (Ali) are the primary actors to drive us through the story come February 2003. While it isn’t very hard to imagine Ving Rhames cast as a tough muscled police officer, Russell and Speedman will take on challenging characteristics that we have yet to see them attempt. Michele, in her role as police sergeant Beth (a female, so you know there’s a love plot somewhere), will be pushed to a modest forefront in this movie, resulting in what could be a career-mobilizing step for her.

Screenwriters David Ayer and James Ellroy bring to life a pungent drama comparable to both Training Day and L.A. Confidential. Not hard to do considering Ayer was screenwriter of the former and Ellroy, source writer of the latter. Just as Training Day was buoyed by an unbelievable intrigue with a renegade police officer, Dark Blue steps up with a team of renegade police officers who work on molding a new detective in their department, Robert Tedrow (Scott Speedman), into one of their 'teammates' and every immoral thing for which that stands. Tedrow's partner, Eldon Perry (Kurt Russell), is one of the most blatantly insensitive and vulgar but, still, human characters I've come across in a long time. Perry is a strong anchor on this ship, and primarily responsible for immersing Tedrow into the code of misconduct used by the notorious Special Investigations Sqaud. Wondering who the Jedi is that will fight the dark side? Surprise! His name is Arthur Holland (Ving Rhames). He's an unadulterated black Assistant Chief of Police, who is committed to cleaning up the force, especially with the Rodney King mess going down. Of course, Holland's motives are in contrast to those of his fellow officers who seem to run the police department from top to bottom and back up. This presents a problem for him. And if trigger-happy police thugs weren't enough, there also exists among most officers a notion of 'protecting the team' that resonates louder than even the most obvious misdeed, i.e. the Rodney King beating. Integrated in all of that, the dominant storyline circulates around a questionable investigation of those initial murders. This investigation is what delivers the hardcore action and exciting cop chases. The LA riots only add to the commotion. Flying bullets and cop chases spiked with a hint of LA riot are sure to keep eyes on the screen just as easy, if not easier than they kept my pages turning.

In much of the story, I sensed an overcast of melancholy that was intended, I’m sure. The seriousness of the times, the uncomfortable laughter at ignorance and dysfunction, a failing justice system, corrupt authorities, imperfect people, etc. Dark Blue couldn’t have been a more perfect title. Still, this rough and raw view of the reality and the characters within that reality is what makes this script so fascinating to read. Characters are supposed to develop within the hour or so we spend with them, and they do here. At various times, though, I felt that a couple of characters could have had much more crisp and cutting dialogue. Nevertheless, it moved the plot forward, and that’s what it’s supposed to do.

Dark Blue will kick off Director Ron Shelton’s cop movie marathon. I guess he’s branching out from the ‘sports thing’. Within 2003, Shelton will have released two cop films crediting him as director: Dark Blue and Hollywood Homicide. Having a picturesque script that emphasizes cinematic elements as well as psuedo sound effects could have only made Shelton’s job easier. For instance, Ayer and Ellroy have informed everyone who read the script that the sound of death is 'CLICK CLACK DUNK'; and BAM! KERSHACK! is the sound that a cutting tool makes... just in case you didn’t know. A very entertaining read. Seriously, I am very much looking forward to this movie, and the chance to see emerging actors and actresses take on characters with such depth. I just hope the movie can live up to the script.”

- The One and OnlyMiss Jones.

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