Street Kings (2008)-Oliver X.
Street Kings (2008)
By Oliver X.
Street Kings is another Keanu Reeves live-action can-you-see-my-lips mov-ie. Taking a page in non-facial emoting from David Carradine’s Kwai Chang Caine handbook (circa 1972), our alcoholic, widower hero is stiff like a mannequin, but he ain’t panickin’ in the face of kidnappin’ Korea townies, liquor store assassins and deep cover turncoats.
With more method in his lazy left eye than in Reeves’ entire body of work, Forest Whitaker (here as LAPD Vice Unit Captain Jack Walker, bff to Reeves’ Tom Ludlow), plays Tigger against Keanu’s maniacal Vice Dick Pooh. I would loved to have heard the outtake dialogue from the Oscar winner’s scenes with Reeves: "Come on Key, just one more sip of this Red Bull Nitro should do the trick." "But Forest, this is my fourth can!"
LA noir novelist James Ellroy’s screenplay is weighted by an absurdist back-story and poorly realized plotlines, pitting Ludlow against the more rogue elements of a notoriously racist, us-against-them, urban enforcer culture that permeates both real and fictional accounts of the LAPD. Veteran of both the Watts and Rodney King riots, infamous former LAPD Chief Darryl "Chokehold" Gates, makes a cameo in full uniform–just for authenticity.
Ludlow must extract himself from an ignoble connection to the brutal murder of his former partner, who has accused him of persistent misuse of deadly force against predominantly minority suspects. Too bad the producers didn’t extract Reeves from this role in place of, say, an actor.
The supporting cast also disappoints. Hugh Laurie (Fox’s House) is forgettable as an Internal Affairs honcho, who hounds Ludlow and appears to be nursing a serious man crush for the Zen master. Cedric the Entertainer is unintentionally funny—ok pathetic–as a drug dealer turned cowardly snitch, who drives the loudest ride in the hood: a blood orange drop top de Ville (with matching pimp sweats and kangol sold separately). Chi Town rapper Common continues to grow in each film he’s in, but is wasted here, despite three convincingly menacing screen minutes in the denouement.
Street Kings has the distinction of being the first action drama of the season to swap cheap thrills for z’s. Sleep well sweet movie-goer; I’ll give Ellroy the news.
Copyright C. 2008 Oliver X.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Great review. James Ellroys is my favorite!