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Narc (2002)
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Reviews Counted:151
Fresh:126
Rotten:25
Average Rating:7.1/10
Consensus: Jason Patric and Ray Liotta are electrifying in this gritty, if a little too familiar, cop drama.
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong brutal violence, drug content and pervasive language
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Jan 10, 2003 Wide
Box Office: $10,237,964
Synopsis:
In homage to such classic films as "The French Connection" and "Serpico," writer/director Joe Carnahan's "Narc" explores the dark underbelly of the drug world with a compelling story about the...
In homage to such classic films as "The French Connection" and "Serpico," writer/director Joe Carnahan's "Narc" explores the dark underbelly of the drug world with a compelling story about the intense psyche behind those individuals called "narcs," undercover officers who put themselves on the front lines of the war against drugs. Chipping away at the number of dealers on the streets, these brave men and women leave their loved ones behind each day as they throw themselves into the brutal world of drug abuse for one purpose only…to end it.
"Narc" tells the story of suspended undercover narcotics officer, Nick Tellis (Jason Patric), who is reluctantly drawn back onto the force to find the truth behind the murder of a young police officer killed in the line of duty. He is teamed with Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), the slain officer's partner, a rogue cop who will stop at nothing to avenge his friend's death. As Tellis and Oak unravel the case, the dark underbelly of the narcotics world reveals itself in surprising ways that are more twisted than either officer has seen before…and the mystery that slowly reveals itself threatens to destroy them both.
Nominated for the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah and winner of the Special Prize Policier Award at the Cognac Film Festival in France, "Narc" is written and directed by an innovative new voice in filmmaking, Joe Carnahan ("Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane"). The film stars Jason Patric ("Your Friends & Neighbors," "Rush") and Ray Liotta ("Hannibal," "Goodfellas"). An intense adrenaline rush from the first heart-stopping chase scene to the stunning dramatic climax, this taut police thriller also features rap artist Busta Rhymes ("Finding Forester," "Shaft") and Chi McBride ("Undercover Brother").
Starring: Ray Liotta, Jason Patric, Busta Rhymes, Richard Chevolleau
Starring: Ray Liotta, Jason Patric, Busta Rhymes, Richard Chevolleau, Chi McBride, John Ortiz, Anne Openshaw, Alan Van Sprang, Tom Cruise
Director: Joe Carnahan
Director: Joe Carnahan
Screenwriter: Joe Carnahan
Producer: Ray Liotta
Composer: Cliff Martinez
Studio: Paramount Pictures
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Reviews for Narc
If Carnahan keeps wrenching this material back an inch or two from cliché, it's only an inch or two.
...Liotta is put in an impossible spot because his character’s deceptions ultimately undo him and the believability of the entire scenario. Too bad.
In the end, the movie collapses on its shaky foundation despite the best efforts of director Joe Carnahan.
Has true grittiness, but the plot's a little murky and the characters a little too familiar.
If only Narc had its originality in check, this could have been more of a chilling visceral ride into depravity.
An empty exercise, a florid but ultimately vapid crime melodrama with lots of surface flash but little emotional resonance.
Narc can only remind us of brilliant crime dramas without becoming one itself.
The twist that ends the movie is the one with the most emotional resonance, but twists are getting irritating, and this is the kind of material where the filmmakers should be very careful about raising eyebrows.
As a director Carnahan definitely has the goods... Unfortunately the script is your basic renegade-cop narrative, with the usual hoo-ha about justice versus the law.
Sometimes it seems a director tries to pack in as much harsh footage as an R-rating will allow for its own sake. That itself is a violent act. The audience is the victim.
Over and over, every gesture and character in Narc summons up yet another movie.
Feels like an R-rated episode of NYPD Blue, with its only real distinction being that neither Nick nor Henry are characters we're particularly attached to.
Narc isn't bad, but it's also nothing too far removed from the usual cops'n'robbers fare that passes through the multiplexes on a regular basis.
There are things to admire about Narc, but they're individual things, not the movie as a whole.
Latest News for Narc
May 03, 2007:
Smokin' Joe Has Seen a "Sin City 2" Teaser
And by "Smokin' Joe" I mean Crazy Joe Carnahan, director of action flicks like "Narc" and "Smokin' Aces." Seems that Robert Rodriguez recently... More...
August 18, 2006:
Trailer Bulletin: The Insane "Smokin' Aces"
Last week I was all set to share the all-new and seriously energetic trailer for Joe Carnahan's "Smokin' Aces," but the official site went bye-bye before I could... More...
October 14, 2005:
Andy Garcia Joins Carnahan's "Smokin'" Ensemble
Variety brings word that Andy Garcia will climb aboard director Joe Carnahan's "Smokin' Aces," am action-comedy that's already packing some solid star power. More...
August 12, 2005:
Carnahan Starts "Smokin'" for Universal
"Narc" director Joe Carnahan has been tapped by Universal to helm "Smokin' Aces," from his own screenplay. The action thriller is set to star Ryan Reynolds,... More...
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