Concerned
with the city becoming increasingly corrupt, Los Angeles Police Chief
Parker (Nick Nolte) entasks
Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) to form a secret squad to rid the city
from mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean
Penn). Closest to Mickey are his right-hand man, gangster Karl
Lockwood (Holt McCallany) and Grace Faraday (Emma Stone) who catches
the eye of Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling). With the help of his
pregnant wife Connie (Mireille Enos), O'Mara assembles his secret
squad of cops formed by Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), Officer
Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie), wiretapping technician Officer
Conwell Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), Officer Max Kennard (Robert
Patrick), and Officer Navidad Ramirez (Michael Peña).
The
all star cast delivers strong performances. Sean Penn stands out as
mobster Mickey Cohen having an incredible appetite for power and
savagery. Convincing are also Josh Brolin as the energetic and
principled Sgt. John O'Mara, Ryan Gosling in the role of the
disengaged and charismatic Sgt. Jerry Wooters, and Emma Stone as the
beautiful Grace Faraday.
Providing
texture and a rich feel to the feature are the Los Angeles landmarks,
such as the iconic Union Station, Hollywood sign, and the historic
City Hall. Along with Maher Ahmad's production design, Dion Beebe's
cinematography, Mary Zophres' costume and Ariel Velasco-Shaw's visual
effects immerse the viewer in the era while delivering
a balanced contemporary and period setting.
Notwithstanding
a few clichés, the feature gets you hooked to the screen with
non-stop intense action, flying bullets, chases, and heavy violence.
The feature is absent of dull moments, is engaging, and fun to watch.
