(2013-05-17 17:21:25)

One of Liotta's greatest performances to date!

Ray Liotta delievered such an unbelieveable performance that I was in disgust with the academy when he wasn't nominated for an Oscar! Narc is about the down and dirty streets of Motor City, Michigan and how they work. Now in this film Liotta plays a cop gone bad because to many things went wrong in his life and I'll let you find out what on your own as you watch the film. While Patric is basically just a good tough as nail's cop who just wants a transfer from undercover detective to a simple desk job for he has seen to much and his wife wants him at home now that they have a child. However this all ends up going down the toilet when Patric starts to find out how dirty Liotta is. Yet then again the witnesses of the crime case could just be lieing for Liotta has his own story that makes sense as well. So after all the sudden twists and turns are over and Patric finally get to the truth the most unexpected thing happens ,which I can't give away and that's where my review ends. To get to the bottomline I really suggest if you liked Training Day, Dark Blue, or Heat buy Narc or at least give it a try as a rental. **** out of 5 stars

Aaron Scott

(2013-05-16 21:07:44)

Great movie!! Ray Liotta and Jason Patrick were terrific!!

A group of twenty of us were invited to see a special showing of "Narc".Everyone gave the movie a "thumbs up". The acting was especially good andCarnahan did an excellent job directing this film. If I hadn't knownbetter, I would have thought this was a Quentin T. movie. Some of usvoted on imdb after we saw the movie and apparently they thought we were"ballot-stuffing" so they lowered the rating on this movie but most of usgave it a "10". Tom Cruise also saw the movie and liked it so much, hebought the rights to the film. Unless we're all totally off base, this isa"must see" movie for all "Pulp Fiction" buffs and destined to become asuccess at the box office.

(2013-05-15 08:36:37)

4 1/2 stars...if I could. Liotta's BEST!!

NARC isn't really a PLEASANT movie to watch. It's about a lot of angry, messed-up people spending a lot of time sweating and under-stress. It's set in wintry Detroit, and the film has been processed so that all the exterior shots are tinted in blue, making the whole thing a little ugly to look at.But it has a raw power and anger that feels genuine. This is a story that shows how people with good ideals and good intentions can nonetheless through their own frailties and lack of foresight make a royal mess of things. In this case, we're dealing with a couple of VERY troubled cops, thrown together to solve an ugly case...at least, it's ugly politically. Jason Patrick portrays a somewhat younger cop, who's been in some sort of suspension since a shooting went horribly wrong. The opening scene of the movie shows this foot chase and the unpleasant aftermath, and it gets us jumpy right away. We hear the heavy breathing, the camera work veers far from using a Steadi-cam, and when people get hurt, they howl and scream and carry on much more like you'd expect "real" people to do. Patrick is given a shot at redemption if he will partner up with Ray Liotta to help solve the murder of Liotta's partner. Reluctantly the two team up. Each clearly respects that the other person is an experienced, capable cop, and they have an easy coming together as COPS. When they break into an apartment, or interrogate a witness, they work together with practiced ease...they've both seen the same streets. But as INDIVIDUALS, they don't have much in common and make no effort to be friends. This is not a "buddy" movie. Liotta is simply seething over just about everything. He doesn't let anyone in...he's not looking for a friend or a new partner. He just wants the job done.Patrick has always been one of those "internal" actors...few facial expressions, somewhat mumbling...not very high energy. In NARC, we see this "passive" side of him...but we also get to see him let loose with some good histrionics. It lends his quiet side more depth...we know that he's just barely keeping it together. In scenes with his wife...who has no patience for his return to the dangerous life...we see how they've lost the ability to really communicate and listen to each other. They have a new baby they both clearly adore...but not much else. Patrick brings a natural sadness to those scenes. And in his police work, he lets his justifiable anger at suspects, felons, etc. carry the brunt of his personal anger. This might be his best performance ever.Ray Liotta is frightening and frighteningly good. He's a spotty actor. Sometimes a hoot (SOMETHING WILD), sometimes simply excellent (GOODFELLAS) and sometimes generic (HANNIBAL and many others). Here he looks 10 years older than we've ever scene him. With his white beard and extra weight, plus thick layers of coats, scarves, etc...he cuts an imposing and dangerous figure. He's a walking time bomb...you can tell this before he even utters a line. Liotta has really integrated this character physically. He is NOT someone whose wrong side you want to be on. He also isn't trying too hard to keep his anger in check...it's right out there for all to see. He seems like he might be a villain, or even the now clichГѓВ©d "corrupt cop," but there's a LOT more going on there. He's not a likeable guy, but he's still trying to do good, despite his own cynicism and disgust. You always hear stories of how police-persons get so jaded and depressed because of what they see in their work...well, Liotta is the best example I've seen on film of what this means. Patrick and Liotta are both ordinary guys...not brilliant detectives, not "the next in a long line of cops in the family," none of the usual archetypes we see in gritty police dramas.The plot of NARC is a bit pedestrian, though. We follow the case easily enough, but the story seems to run a distant second to the characters. And the climactic scenes...while full of energy and intent...don't totally make sense from a strictly "why would he have done that" standpoint. It doesn't end with much of an oomph.But let me be clear...the movie is worth seeing for the two lead performances. It's a very adult film, with lots of harsh language and graphic violence. It also has a dim view of the world. But it also positively bristles. If you liked stuff like DARK BLUE, you will probably like this.

William Arnold

(2013-05-14 12:21:46)

Liotta is a hot prospect for this year's supporting-actor Oscar.

rj

(2013-05-13 22:40:23)

Intriguing. Great cop movie.

NARC is a must see. Ray Liotta is a mad man, so don't get in his way.JasonPatric is back and better than ever. If you don't know who he is check outthe movie (The Lost Boys). NARC has a few twists. Plus movie has a rapperinit. A must in movies today? Guess so!

Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone

(2013-05-13 07:57:39)

You think you know where this is going, but it constantly veers off in directions you'd never guess - they took an ordinary police story and cranked it up a notch.

davideo-2

(2013-05-06 01:06:14)

Very good,but kind of underwhelming

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A MealInstead*Avoid At All CostsAdapted by director Joe Carnahan from a real life case study of anundercover cop who was killed during a drug bust in 1976,Narc has been cutand pasted to modern times to tell the tale of a cop,Tellis (Jason Patric)who takes time off work to get over an incident in which he accidentallyshot a mother in the leg whilst chasing a violent drug addict through achildren's play area.Returning back to work to support his wife and infantson,he is recruited by Internal Affairs to become the partner of LeutenantOak (Ray Liotta),who,though respected as a highly decorated officer,has comeunder suspicion of going over the edge following the murder of hispartner,which he has also been assigned to investigate.As he follows Oak onthe trail of the killer,he can understand why he commands such respect as anofficer,but can also see that he is very heavy handed in his treatment ofsuspects and doesn't seem to bear much heed to the rules.As he digs deeperand deeper into Oak's world,he uncovers a seemingly endless web ofdeceit,deception and corruption that leads to a very unsavouryconclusion.Following on the current trend of bad cop movies (Dark Blue,TrainingDay),Narc is a well made and very well written but ultimately kind ofunderwhelming and slightly empty picture that doesn't quite manage to be thesum of it's parts.It has a unique camera style and use of credits that isquite innovative and appealing,but it just feels as though not everything isexplored to it's full potential.On the performances front,Liotta brings hisstandard intense,angry presence to the film,thankfully in this case,andPatric is edgy and convincing as the inquisitive partner,although BustaRhymes,adding to the current cheap labour trend of rap stars in movies,is alittle wasted as one of the murder suspects,a shame since he manages to bemore appealing in his role than one would have anticipated.Overall,athoroughly worthwhile film,that really requires you to use your brain andpay attention to everything that is going on,but,due to the underlong lengthand underwritten script,is restrained from being the brilliant film it couldhave been.***

(2013-05-05 08:09:16)

The best "cop" film since French Connection

This is by far one of the best cop movies I've ever seen. From the opening burst of high octane; a foot chase through the slums of Detroit, (actually filmed in Canada) the film maintains the crescendo until the explosive and volatile end. The film stars Ray Liotta (Henry Oak) as the partner of a murdered Narc (an undercover narcotics officer) Liotta carries such force and weight throughout the film that you can't help but love his dirty and gritty tactics. Jason Patric plays Nick Tellis, a Narc himself until a botched drug bust (which is the opening scene) leaves him suspended. Patric plays Tellis with such depth that the viewer soon feels empathetic towards Tellis' agonizing turmoil and revisiting of his past. With Oak's partner's case still unsolved, the powers that be decide to combine Tellis' street connections and Oak's "investigative" techniques to close the case once in for all. This is where the movie gets interesting...I won't tell you any more. There's a solid performance given by Busta Rhymes. The cinematography is some of the most "real" I've ever seen, Combining handhelds and a multi-screen shot, a la Time Code. The script is strong and both Liotta and Patric give SOLID SOLID performances. It's one of those movies that doesn't leave you feeling cheated, it works perfectly in and of itself, it doesn't try to be anything else than what it is. This is a must-see film for those who can appreciate a low budget film's exponential potential.

Nell Minow

(2013-05-04 05:34:30)

If it does not transcend its genre, at least is is a solid example of why that genre endures.

(2013-05-03 23:38:08)

Plenty of clichГѓВ©s, weak points, but still worth the ride

With the prevalence of police dramas on television these days, you'd think everyone would have had enough of this formula, but there's no denying that there's something engrossing about this dark tale of drugs, violence, murder, and guilt. Certainly this film recycles every cop clichГѓВ© in the book: Jason Patric plays the ousted cop who's only hope to redeem himself is to solve this one big, high-profile case that no one else can handle, Ray Liotta is the out-of-control cop whose partner was killed, Patric's wife freaks when she sees him once again vanishing into his work, the upper echelon cops just want to see somebody take a fall and couldn't care less about justice... seems to me most of these were already old hat when Clint Eastwood was making cop films.But in what should be considered a victory of style over substance, writer-director Joe Carnahan manages to keep the tension cranked up pretty high, and glue us to our seats throughout. For fans of thrillers, there are some powerful scenes of confused, lightning-paced violence, including the shocking opening sequence. True, the scenes between Patric and his wife were not only hackneyed but pointless, and probably should have been cut. True, the stylishly avant-garde camerawork was more often annoying than enlightening. And true, it doesn't really take much of an actor to continually register ill-concealed fury by yelling expletives (sorry, Ray).But the biggest fault this reviewer found with the film was a logical flaw in the plot which completely cut the ending adrift. Without giving away too much of the conclusion for others, consider the point in the action where a perp has been caught (and killed) with the dead cop's badge in his apartment. The Chief and the Commissioner are ready to close the case, give Patric his job back, and everybody can go home happy - with about an hour's worth of film left. Why don't our "heroes" take them up on that offer? The fact that they don't makes the final scene completely unbelievable, and as such I suggest that viewers just enjoy the frenetic, visceral ride, and not try to solve the mystery.

(2013-05-03 01:50:01)

Narc

Narc is a great movie. I think the acting is played out VERY good, and the storyline keeps you interested until the end.Ray Liotta stands out the most acting wise to me. Jason Patric falls right behind doing also a great job in acting. The story kept me interested, you want to know the next move theyre going to make. This movie is based around criminals and the drug underworld. Liotta and Patric team up to find out who was really behind everything that went on around Calvess. I highly recommend this movie, its entertaining and keeps up the action. There are quite a few twists in the movie, more towards the end so pay attention so you can see whats really going on. Overall, I give this movie about a 4.5/5. I thought the ending could have been a little different since I don't think it really led anywhere. But check this movie out you wont be dissapointed.

Paul Doro

(2013-05-02 10:16:47)

In both style and story, Narc reinvigorates a tired genre with brute force.

(2013-04-30 00:51:58)

Underrated Crime Drama

This review is from: Narc (DVD) It's been a while since I have seen a good new crime drama so I thought I would bring attention to this little known oldie but goodie. OK, it's not really that old, but it does seem to have gone under the radar, which is a shame, because it really is good. Set in dreary Detroit, two Detectives (Liotta and Patric) are investigating the murder of an undercover cop who happens to be Liotta's ex-partner. Both men have their own personal demons to deal with, and as the case wears on, both men's notions of truth and justice will be put to the test. There's nothing overly complex or cliched about the film and it doesn't try too hard to be profound. It's just a good, realistic, urban police drama with a nice denouement, which seems to be rare these days.

Jeff Stark

(2013-04-29 11:48:58)

About the best thing you could say about Narc is that it's a rock-solid little genre picture. Whether you like it or not is basically a matter of taste.

(2013-04-28 13:41:41)

Awesome

Narc was an incredible film. I guess you can say I have a liking for cop dramas and this movie didn't fail to deliver. The acting was incredible to where I felt the character's anger/sadness etc..., also. The twist in the end (not that I'll give it away) was well-crafted and surprising. I highly recommend it for anybody who likes cop dramas or the like, or even good movies that have depth. Worth buying, as I bought it myself and enjoy it to this day. Note though; it does have a great deal of violence and a lot of cursing, but that's what makes it all the better.

(2013-04-27 20:56:26)

3 stars out of 4

The Bottom Line:Though Narc's screenplay is built on a solid foundation of cliches, the powerhouse performances, gritty camerawork, and inspired use of location (Detroit *feels* cold and lonely in the film) allow the film to rise above its tired screenplay.

Louis B. Hobson

(2013-04-24 12:44:21)

Joe Carnahan's Narc may not reinvent the cop flick, but it definitely reinvigorates it.

dav7nine

(2013-04-24 03:12:24)

Good

I thought this film was quite good. My 'father-in-law' owned it, as hethought it was amazing... so after persistent nagging, I watched it...and have to say it's well worth watching.It's pretty much what it says on the box, a gritty, fast action-packedfeast... not 100% my type of film, but well watchable all the same. Acop is killed undercover... another undercover cop who has beensuspended after a botched job is put on the case (Patric) joining themurdered cop's close friend (Liotta). As Patric learns more about thecase the plot thickens shall we say... and he starts to doubt Liotta.It's good stuff, quite artistic and the music's alright (I am a hip-hopfan though...) and there's a nice ending.A good 6/10 from me..... for what it's worth :-) Dave

(2013-04-24 06:05:26)

Don't overlook this one. Too many people allready have.

I was really impressed with Narc. I was expecting a run of the mill good cop bad cop flick. Never judge a DVD by it's cover. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. This film was gritty and didn't spare the audience any reality for the sake of easy viewing. This film is filled with tragedy and suspense. Narc will have you hooked from the opening scene. The last 30 minutes of this film is as intense as any other I have seen. Ray Liotta puts on what I would say is his best performance to date. If Denzel Washington was worthy of an oscar for Training Day so is Liotta for Narc. This film puts Training Day to shame. Jason Patric also puts on a great performance. I know he had to sort of step aside and let Liotta take the spotlight. I think that's actually what makes Jason Patric so great in this film. His ability to compliment Liotta's character while at the same time making his character almost equally appealing to the viewer is astonishing. There aren't too many actors out there nowadays that can do that or are willing to. Jason Patric's un-selfishness pays off big time. I give Narc a well deserved 5 stars.

Tom Field

(2013-04-23 16:36:36)

Solid film. True to its essence. Liotta great as usual.

Highly recommend this movie. Liotta is great as expected (is there anygoodreason this guy doesn't get more good roles?). As for Patric (hadn't seenhim sense the miserable Speed 2), above average performance, although I'veseen nothing that topped The Lost Boys (although Rush was close). Endinghas a twist. Cinematography was different than most of the pictures I'veseen recently on the big screen. Rough edge to it. And the DVD extrasareworth watching (interesting that this movie barely had the funds tocomplete). Great rental.