Street Kings (2008)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

David Ayer

Writers (WGA):

James Ellroy (screenplay) and
Kurt Wimmer (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 April 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Their City. Their Rules. No Prisoners.

Plot:

Tom Ludlow is a veteran LAPD cop who finds life difficult to navigate after the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him. |

Plot Keywords:

Death | Lapd | Dead Wife | Black Cop | Police Harassment

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 (as Cedric 'The Entertainer' Kyles)
Jay Mohr	...	Sgt. Mike Clady
Terry Crews	...	Detective Terrence Washington
Naomie Harris	...	Linda Washington
Common	...	Coates
Martha Higareda	...	Grace Garcia
John Corbett	...	Detective Dante Demille
Amaury Nolasco	...	Detective Cosmo Santos
Noel Gugliemi	...	Quicks (as Noel G.)
Michael Monks	...	Pathologist
Daryl Gates	...	The Chief (as Daryl F. Gates)

Also Known As:

Night Watch (USA) (working title)
The Night Watchman (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and pervasive language.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Turkish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Ireland:16 | Finland:K-15 | UK:15 | Norway:15 | Malaysia:18PL | Australia:MA | USA:R (certificate #44158) | Hong Kong:IIB | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Sweden:15 | Iceland:16 | South Africa:16LV | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | France:-12 | Denmark:15 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:18 (cut) | Italy:VM14 | Taiwan:R-12 | Ireland:15 (video rating) | Austria:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Spain:18 | Brazil:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

James Ellroy wrote the screenplay in the mid-1990's inspired by the O.J. Simpson trial. Over the years, Spike Lee, David Fincher, and Oliver Stone were attached to direct the film at various stages of pre-production. Sean Penn was once attached to star. John Ridley contributed to an early version of the screenplay. Belgian director Erik Van Looy was set to direct this film according to various interviews, but these plans were scrapped in preproduction, upon which Van Looy went on to direct Loft (2008/I) in his home country.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Captain Biggs sits across from Ludlow at Ludlow's desk and begins conversing with him, Biggs' necktie alternates from being outside of his lapel to under it, even though he does not move.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boss Kim: Yo dawg.
Tom Ludlow: Konnichiwa.
Boss Kim: What?
Tom Ludlow: Konnichiwa. Konnichiwa. It means what's up. So what the fuck's up?

Movie Connections:

References Serpico (1973)

Back To The Roots

Over the past few years, the Action genre has continued to leave film goers mad. We have returned to what made this genre so appealing in the first place. We have returned to the time of classic cop thrillers such as Serpico and Chinatown. A modern day classic...Street Kings.

Do not miss this gritty story of a rogue cop who is pushed past his limits by corruption, greed and violence. Keanu Reeves plays the role perfectly in his stunning performance as Tom Ludlow. Forest Whitaker gives an awesome supporting performance as Wander.

Although there are a few rap artists in this film, they each play street thugs, which is not a far stretch.

The best film I have seen in theaters for a LONG time, yet I feel it will be overlooked by most.

Street Kings is an instant classic!!!! -Mike