Russell sees himself as urban cowboy in ‘Dark Blue’
In “Dark Blue,” LAPD Sgt. Eldon Perry Jr. (Kurt Russell) sees himself as an urban cowboy. He rides into a dangerous situation, whips out his gun and uses lethal force to end it. Perry views that deadly approach to crime fighting – he believes he’s upholding a tradition handed down from his grandfather and father, both shoot-first/ask-questions-later California lawmen – as a noble calling.
During the R-rated picture, Perry goes from suffering professional destruction to personal redemption when he finally sees the results of his legacy of hate. “Dark Blue” provides an eye-opening lesson for Russell’s ill-fated character, though the intermittently heavy-handed approach by director Ron Shelton (“Bull Durham”) often makes the film seem more like a simplistic TV movie.
In the rage-fueled story, which climaxes in 1992 with the South Central riots on the day LAPD officers were found not guilty in the beating of Rodney King trial, Perry – a la the Denzel Washington character in “Training Day” – is helping a rookie, Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman of TV’s “Felicity”), become accustomed to what the senior officer considers business as usual. That includes executing suspects in the street and bending the law to make quick arrests and guaranteed convictions.
Pulling the strings of the LAPD is Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson of “Gangs of New York”), a smug old-school ranking officer who believes that keeping secret files on superiors – a la J. Edgar Hoover – will guarantee the continuation of his reign of terror tactics and lucrative kickbacks. Looking to end the injustices of the past is Assistant Chief Holland (Ving Rhames of “Undisputed”), an admirable but flawed man who abhors the approach of officers such as Perry and Van Meter and vows to end their illegal acts, even if it means destroying his chances to become police chief.
Shelton draws some parallels between the renegade cop Perry and the respected officer Holland, especially in terms of their uneasy relationships with their unhappy wives, but that type of insightful drama gives way to more simplistic plotting. That’s particularly the case with Russell’s character, an officer so trusting of his friends on the force that he never even suspects they want anything more than to keep the streets safe from crime.
Russell plays down his boyish charm and replaces it with a world weariness that suits the role. Shelton, working from a story by famed hardboiled novelist James Ellroy, who penned “L.A. Confidential,” uses the Rodney King protest as a metaphor for the desperate need for change and enlightenment in some big-city police departments.
Such elements give “Dark Blue” dramatic weight, but in the end, Shelton simply inserts so many issues that the film sputters, though not before giving viewers plenty of ideas – most of them uncomfortable ones – to ponder.
FILM REVIEW
“Dark Blue”
Grade: B-
Starring: Kurt Russell, Ving Rhames, Brendan Gleeson and Scott Speedman; screenplay by David Ayer, based on a story by James Ellroy; produced by Caldecot Chubb, David Blocker, James Jacks and Sean Daniel; directed by Ron Shelton. Running Time: 118 minutes.
Parental Guide: R rating (very strong violence, harsh four-letter profanity, brief sex, adult themes).