Cop Land

Peter Berg

Joey Randone

This has a really good ensemble cast, but the sum of the parts really don't add up to much of an whole. Sylvester Stallone is local sheriff "Freddy", in charge of policing a small town - Garrison - near New York that is largely populated by it's police officers. The television news reports and our frequent attendance at the cemetery soon demonstrate to us that being a cop has become an even more perilous affair. Just who is behind this new danger? Harvey Keitel ("Ray") is the kingpin sergeant who many believe is to be applauded for enabling many officers to escape the Big Apple itself and set up home for their families in relatively safe and secure surroundings, but is he really the altruist that he purports to be? The death of one officer leads "Tilden" (Robert De Niro) to lead an internal investigation, but when that is mysteriously shut down by the Mayor, it falls to "Freddy" to find the truth. There are just too many characters in this film, there is far too much dialogue and for the most part, really too little action. It shines a dimly lit light on police corruption, but to be honest most of these are pretty unsavoury characters who would stab their own mothers in the face for a quick buck. De Niro is all to rarely on screen and I found Ray Liotta's "Gary" just too unconvincing after about ten minutes. If this is supposed to be brotherhood, hmmm, I think I will pass.