I don't know why this was so universally bashed, it's really a great move and in many ways beats out its contemporaries like Crash. The main reason for that is fact that it doesn't have a single overbearing message that it's trying to convey for the entire movie, each character has their own message. I think Antoine Fuqua usually has a great style that he brings to his movies and this is a prime example of it. This often times has a visual style that mirrors each central character's tone, which I thought was pretty cool. Also, just from a visual standpoint Brookyln's Finest is extremely impressive. It reminds me a lot of The French Connection in that it has a realistic element that you can't quite put your finger on, but it's undeniably there. The story lines did a perfect job of intersecting; it wasn't obtrusive or cheesy, but gave you a feeling that this was just a massive city. The depiction of the police and criminals was really interesting; I liked that neither side was labeled as outright heroes or villains. (on a side note, I think it's hilarious that Richard Gere is rescuing hookers again). The core stories depend on individual decisions and morals rather that simple foreshadowing or having a plot that needs to go a certain direction. When the final climax finally hits, it's truly beautiful how everything works out. This is also strengthened by its performances; Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke all turn in extremely good performances. All of their characters are conveyed in a way that makes them feel like real people. The acting isn't overblown or drawn out for oscar season. Chances are, if you're willing to give this a chance, it'll probably be a really nice surprise.

The cops and criminals genre has been done to death, and Hollywood's offerings as of late suggest that they have completely run out of ideas. With the exception of The Town (itself somewhat of a retread of Michael Mann's Heat), I can't even think of a movie from this genre worth mentioning that's come out in the past five years. Brooklyn's Finest is no different. Instead of one cliched narrative, we get three, each connected with the other only through the film's central themes. There's the crooked cop who has had it with the system who he perceives just as corrupt. There's the undercover who's in too deep and it's destroying him mentally. And there's the beat cop who is on the cusp of retiring. He has no intention of making any difference in his profession, and just can't wait until the week is over, but before it is, he may just yet have a chance to do something heroic. The plus side to the film features some strong performances by Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, and Richard Gere. Hawke is especially good, because he's essentially playing the Denzel Washington character from Training Day, and he pulls it off well. Interesting, since he played the heroic rookie in that film. Director Antoine Fuqua sets a very serious tone, so much so that the third act feels as epic as a Greek tragedy. The film was shot in an actual slum in Brooklyn, and the slang seemed, at least to me, to reflect the lifestyle and forms of speech in this neighbourhood. But ultimately, no matter how good the visual flair or acting is, it doesn't save the film from feeling predictable. There is nothing that has been said about life in the ghetto, the corruption in the police force, or the personal toll that the job takes on its officers that hasn't been said before. It's extremely hard to engage in a story when we too easily recognize the character archetypes, and the direction the narrative is going to take.