Director: Abel Ferrara
Starring: Harvey Keitel
Running Time: 96 minutes
Synopsis: The Lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) is a police detective in New York City, addicted to drugs and sports betting, currently placing large bets he cannot afford on the unfolding Mets/Dodgers baseball playoff series. The city is beset by violent crimes, but the Lieutenant exists in a haze, interested only in the baseball score and securing drugs for his next hit. When a nun is shockingly raped in a church, the Lieutenant almost finds a cause to believe in, but salvation will not be easily attained.
What Works Well: This intense character study zooms into the soul of a deeply damaged man as he spirals into the abyss. Harvey Keitel is in every scene, and delivers a performance spiked with painful intensity. No other characters matter, because nothing matters to the jaded Lieutenant except drugs and bets. The sight of crime victims with their heads blown off is an opportunity to illegally seize drugs for his own use. Some scenes have kids in his orbit, but they may as well be strangers, and while the rape of a nun could be a wake up call, the path to redemption is treacherous.
What Does Not Work As Well: This is an emotionally exhausting and grimy experience. The journey to hell retraces some repetitive routes, and scenes exposing the darkest corners of the Lieutenant's soul are quite disturbing.
Key Quote:
The Lieutenant: No one can kill me. I'm blessed. I'm a Catholic.
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