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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
Dark Blue
Kurt Russell switches gears in this dark and somewhat depressing film about a police detective fighting inner demons and the bad guys. Russell plays Eldon Perry, a third generation LAPD officer. His father and grandfather told him stories about life on the streets and what had to be done to keep the bad guys off of those streets. The old way of dispensing justice is straight out of the old west. Perry's wife (Lolita Davidovich) tells him, "I watched you descend into hell and I've been waiting for you to come back." The question is, will Perry climb out of that hell?
Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) is his new partner who has to prove himself to be a real part of the elite SIS (Special Investigations Squad,) which is headed by a gruff boss. For this young man, the old ways of getting justice aren't necessarily the right ways today, so he is fighting demons himself; the demons of those that came before him on the squad. The real world is not what we see on TV. Being out on the streets in the middle of the chaos is the real training for these cops. Following all the rules won't get the bad guys off the streets, so they do what they have to do to get the job done. The SIS has its ways of keeping the innocent safe, but they are in the minority. In the end, they must all face each other, and themselves.
The story takes place at the time of the Rodney King police trial and the subsequent riots in the aftermath of the verdicts. It's an interesting story with appealing characters.
© 2003 Francine Brokaw
All pictures are ©United Artists Films, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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