Deep Cover

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Deep Cover

R

1992

1h 48m

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

David Jason (Jeff Goldblum) is the biggest drug dealer in Los Angeles, and Russell Stevens (Larry Fishburne) is an undercover cop who wants to bring him down. Posing as a dealer, Stevens begins to earn the trust of the L.A. drug underworld, eventually making his way to Jason himself. But along the way he has to take his cover to depths he never thought he would have to see, including selling drugs and going to great lengths to eliminate potential competitors for Jason's drug cartel.

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Critics Consensus

Deep Cover rises above standard-issue crime thriller fare thanks to a smartly cynical script and powerhouse performances from its unorthodox but well-matched leads.

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Oct 31, 2007

3.5/5

Smart and stylish, it also has scenes of crackling violence and dramaturgy that oftentimes strains to work but, on the whole, Deep Cover is engaging, thoughtful and inventive.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Oct 31, 2007

Convoluted and mostly unconvincing as a portrait of the drug underworld, Deep Cover [based on a story by Michael Tolkin] still carries some resonance due to its vivid portrait of societal decay and a heavyweight performance by Larry Fishburne.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Oct 31, 2007

What emerges is a powerhouse thriller full of surprises, original touches, and rare political lucidity, including an impressive performance by Jeff Goldblum.

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Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Feb 28, 2023

Deep Cover is a hidden piece of noir revived in the 1990s the blends in with the rap soundtrack from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog...

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Apr 25, 2022

4/5

A savage but sage unraveling of best intentions into a no-win situation. It's a thriller of sharp edges and ideas that borrows the patois and patina of noir, in which violent ends are not romanticized but simply just rationalized to diminished returns.

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Apr 20, 2022

This is not a simple story of a cop breaking bad. Instead, its a look at a Black man questioning his own place in the hierarchy of law enforcement and within America itself.

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Max M

@Househuntermax Jul 18, 2026

Noir style 90s thriller. Something of a cult classic. Do the Bill Duke double feature and watch this with Hoodlum. Highly recommend.

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Nara B.

@NaraBear Jun 22, 2026

Is this a movie or is this real life? I swear it felt like nobody was acting. It felt like this was a a real live documentary on the drug game in the 90s.

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Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Mar 22, 2026

Decent movie. Jeff and the fish man do their thing but overall it’s corny and trying to be a hardcore movie.

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T F

@RT78791803 Oct 31, 2025

An absolute stunner of a movie. Bill Duke's direction is nothing short but terrific as are the performances of it's two leads, Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum, whose character I kind of wish was the actual central character. He shows how great he is as an actor here going from a lawyer afraid to get his hands dirty to, as he quotes so chillingly, "getting his cake and eating it, too." This is my go-to-watch film almost every couple of months, and probably my most favorite film of 1992 and the 90s in general.

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David S.

@baxter667 Oct 24, 2025

A different type of film for Lawrence Fishburne, this good guy turns into a bad guy, is still relevant today and has aged well. It even has a different type of role for Jeff Goldblum. A good plot, good casting, and excellent nostalgia, this little gem of a movie surprised me and I loved it!!!

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Oct 4, 2025

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Bill Duke

Director

Laurence Fishburne

Russell Stevens Jr.

Jeff Goldblum

David Jason

Victoria Dillard

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Charles Martin Smith

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Synopsis

David Jason (Jeff Goldblum) is the biggest drug dealer in Los Angeles, and Russell Stevens (Larry Fishburne) is an undercover cop who wants to bring him down. Posing as a dealer, Stevens begins to earn the trust of the L.A. drug underworld, eventually making his way to Jason himself. But along the way he has to take his cover to depths he never thought he would have to see, including selling drugs and going to great lengths to eliminate potential competitors for Jason's drug cartel.

Director: Bill Duke
Producer: Pierre David, Henry Bean
Screenwriter: Michael Tolkin, Henry Bean
Production Co: Image Organization, New Line Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 15, 1992, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.6M
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Surround

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