Your Ad Here
FromTheBalcony.com
The Facts

Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Length: 109 Minutes

Rating: R for strong violence and pervasive language.

Theatrical Release: April 11, 2008

Directed by: David Ayer

Written by: James Ellroy & Kurt Wimmer & Jamie Moss.

Cast:
Keanu Reeves - Detective Tom Ludlow
Forest Whitaker - Captain Jack Wander
Hugh Laurie - Captain James Biggs
Chris Evans - Detective Paul Diskant
Cedric the Entertainer - Scribble
Jay Mohr - Sgt. Mike Clady

Online Film Critics Society Central Ohio Film Critics Association
Street Kings (2008)
Their city. Their rules. No prisoners.

Bill Clark
April 10, 2008
Grade: C+ (Rotten)

It’s going to take a mound of evidence to convince me that Street Kings isn’t a parody. The film is entertaining, yes, but that often comes with police dramas laced with over-the-top tough-guy dialogue, brute violence, and a penchant for implausible plot twists. We know that director David Ayer and a screenwriting team lead by James Ellroy is capable, but Street Kings plays directly into the hands of those who love unintentional comedy.

Keanu Reeves stars as Detective Tom Ludlow, a binge-drinking cop who has an even bigger chip on his shoulder after the sudden death of his wife. He takes care of LAPD’s worst scum, but he’s none too happy that his former partner, Terrence Washington (Crews), is ratting out his activities, which seriously toe the line of legal, to the Captain (Laurie). When Washington turns up dead, all eyes in the department shift to Ludlow as a prime suspect. In an effort to clear his name, he begins to expose a ring of police corruption so huge that it seems impossible. And it is.

If you like your dialogue as salty as Tostitos (there must be between 200-300 F-bombs) and your violence nice and in-your-face, then by all means unplug your brain and enjoy. Street Kings aims for nothing more than brute force, and on that paltry level it gets things done. The issue is that it’s so over-the-top that it detracts from a story that I think we’re supposed to be taking seriously.

The unintentional humor, and there is plenty to go around, mostly comes in the form of some off-kilter casting and plentiful overacting. How are we not supposed to laugh at Cedric the Entertainer (and you know he means business when he includes his last name in the credits) turning up as a badass drug lord? Or Hugh Laurie as basically House the police captain? Or Jay Mohr with a push broom mustache? And last, but certainly not least, we have Forest Whitaker at his sweaty, spitting best. Keanu Reeves is actually quite good, but then again I don’t think he was in on the joke.

Street Kings runs the cliché well dry in its first forty-five minutes, but that doesn’t stop it from being strangely entertaining. It’s a fine definition of the “ok, how can they make this even more preposterous?” kind of flick. I’ll credit the screenwriting team for inventing some new cussing techniques and keeping the tone as hateful as possible. How else could a police corruption saga function? I was halfway expecting Leslie Nielsen to make a cameo appearance as the coroner.

Trailer

Marketplace
Your Ad Here
Movie News
News courtesy of MovieWeb
Tom Cruise Vs. James McAvoy: Who Will Star in At the Moutains of Madness?
September 2, 2010 - 7:59pm EDT
Universal leans towards James McAvoy while director Guillermo del Toro wants Tom Cruise to star in the H.P. Lovecraft adaptation.
First Let Me In Movie Clip!
September 2, 2010 - 7:21pm EDT
Richard Jenkins carries out an intriguing car attack in Matt Reeves upcoming thriller.
Bill & Ted 3 Still in the Works
September 2, 2010 - 4:34pm EDT
Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves hope to return as their iconic characters once an original story idea is agreed upon.
Transformers 3 Extra Seriously Injured on Set
September 2, 2010 - 4:12pm EDT
A 24-year-old actress was struck in the head by an object that flew through her windshield while shooting the highly anticipated sequel.
Angelina Jolie Abandons Gravity
September 2, 2010 - 4:05pm EDT
The Alfonso Cuaron film is indefinitely stalled after the popular actress drops out of the project.
Devil Unearths Two Viral Websites
September 2, 2010 - 3:04pm EDT
Fans can share their deepest secrets or what they are most afraid of with this new user-friendly content.
Buried International Trailer with New Footage
September 2, 2010 - 12:54pm EDT
Ryan Reynolds is buried alive in Rodrigo Cortes' thriller which opens October 8.
Second Monsters US Teaser Poster
September 2, 2010 - 12:51pm EDT
A gas-masked victim flees the scene in Gareth Edwards' upcoming indie horror romance.
Final Destination 5 Adds Emma Bell
September 2, 2010 - 12:33pm EDT
The Frozen actress will headline Steven Quale's upcoming installment of this popular horror franchise.
Anthony Mackie Boards Man on a Ledge
September 2, 2010 - 12:28pm EDT
Sam Worthington stars in this NYPD suicide thriller from director Asger Leth.
Follow Me on Twitter!