Thursday, September 16, 2010

Mixed Reviews Brookylns Finest Hasn't Diminished Interest

By Gabriel Bush

One of the sleeper movies of the year, Brookylns Finest, was released in March with mixed reviews, but that didn't stop avid action junkies from flooding the theaters looking for an interesting twist on an old story line. Due to the efforts of writer Michael C. Martin and directory Antoine Fugua, this film has made the list of one of the top cop movies since 1973 as well as grossed more profits than expected. Set in the 65th precinct of New York City's Police Department, the problems of living in the inner city all come to light in this well acted film.

One of the films outstanding features is the all-star cast that provides riveting performances that keep audiences drawn into the story. Renowned actors such as Wesley Snipes, Richard Gere, Lili Taylor, Jesse Williams, Ethan Hawke, Ellen Barkin, Don Cheadle and more take viewers through the hardships and problems faced by the men and women of the NYPD on a daily basis. The story reveals the personal and professional problems of three officers who must do almost anything to survive in this precinct.

Although the movie is primarily based in Brooklyn, filming was also completed throughout the New York area including Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn itself. Through the eyes of the three principal police officers, the worst and best an urban city has to offer is presented and interwoven with complications in their daily lives which often influence decisions. The action and intrigue begin in the opening scene where a thug is shot and robbed which conversing in a car with another man. We later find out that the shooter was himself a cop.

For many in the law enforcement field there is a thin line between what is right and what is wrong and this is often complicated by problems unfolding in their personal lives. Money problems, near retirement, undercover work, and much more affects the decisions made on a daily basis and often creates the automatic responses many police officers rely upon to survive. The development of the story line in this film comes to a neat conclusion, although unexpected, when the three key players wind up in the same location at the same time for very different reasons.

The story that unfolds is intriguing for various reasons, one of which it is based on the personal experiences of writer Michael Martin. The writer grew up in this area of New York and is written in such a way as to help viewers unfamiliar with the area, to appreciate the difficulty of living in this area. Although it was filmed on a modest budget, due to the fact many of the actors felt it was a story that needed to be told, their lesser incomes helped bring the film to completion.

The movie was first seen at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and later the same year at the Venice Film Festival. After it was purchased and lost, due to financial problems, by a first distributor it was finally picked up by Overture Films which has resulted in major rewards. Although initial reviews have been mixed, the high quality acting and character development have served to support any weakness in the story line. Although critics thought it was very predictable, audiences did not agree as they have continued to find it enthralling.

Despite the reviews, in March 2010 the film opened in the #2 position grossing over $13 million dollars. To date that has increased to over $27 million in the US with an additional $34 million earned in the international market ranking it at #11 in the "Dirty Copy" movie field which covers all movies from 1973 to the present.

Brookylns Finest is currently #1 in DVD sales which indicates that the mass audience is much better than predicted. It is rated R for nudity, language, sexuality, drug content, and violence and runs a little over two hours. For those who love to live life on the streets through film, it is definitely one that should be viewed. - 40732

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