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Rating:
THE REVIEW
Well-crafted this crime-noir by Abel Ferrara, entirely focused on an Irish antihero cop in a whirlwind of drugs, sex, illegal betting on a damn baseball final in a best of seven series that refuses to go his way, leading him to wager unsustainable amounts even for a neighborhood fixer like him.
An almost clandestine backdrop of New York, a practicing Catholic family enduring the physical and moral decline of this man, a brutal rape in a church that will give a glimmer of hope to the insolvent gambler, and the red thread of this game, inexorably guiding our hero towards the final catharsis (which I obviously won't spoil for you).
Ferrara offers, with a dry and effective direction, a pretty decent portrayal of the metropolitan neuroses of a powerful and lonely man, imbued with an immense religious fervor ("I'm blessed") that will have as its stage the church where the sacrilege took place. Torment and ecstasy.
Intense Keitel. His moans of pain, guilt, impotent rage, and desperate despair in the stunning spiral leave internal scratches. The original language is a must.
To be watched in the middle of the night, as it was for me...
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Summary by Bot
Abel Ferrara’s The Bad Lieutenant offers a well-crafted crime-noir featuring a troubled Irish cop caught in addiction and despair. Set in New York, the film explores themes of guilt, religious faith, and redemption, anchored by a powerful performance by Harvey Keitel. The narrative’s tension is heightened by a backdrop of illegal gambling and personal downfall. A dark, intense movie best enjoyed late at night.
Abel Ferrara
Abel Ferrara (born 1951, New York City) is an American director and screenwriter known for gritty, morally charged films including The Driller Killer (1979), Ms. 45 (1981), King of New York (1990), The Bad Lieutenant (1992), The Addiction (1995), The Funeral (1996), Mary (2005), Pasolini (2014), and Siberia (2020).09 Reviews
Other reviews
By ilfreddo
'The Bad Lieutenant' is a harrowing descent into the darkest corners of the human soul.
Ferrara delivers an uncompromising vision, elevated by Keitel's fearless performance.
