Brooklyn’s Finest – Blu-ray Review

The Film:

While it will undoubtedly be compared to Training Day, Antoine Fuqua’s breakout hit, his new cop drama does bring him back to similar territories, but Brooklyn’s Finest isn’t Training Day, and nor should it be. While that film had the dynamic of the student schooling the teacher at the end, this film is a multilayer collision course that greases a well-worn machine, but what a machine it is. Cinema has had a fascination with cops and especially cops doing not-so cop activities, but with Brooklyn’s Finest Fuqua explores how good men can get corrupted by the will to do good. Is it enough to applaud Fuqua’s return to a genre he done so well once before? Like I said before, it’s no Training Day, but in the end, Brooklyn’s Finest gets the job done.

The film follows three cops, all unrelated that will by some certain events in the film, wind up together in the end. Each has their own issues within the Precinct. Officer Dugan (Richard Gere) is facing retirement, yet is also vastly depressed and perhaps on the verge of suicide. Detective Sal (Ethan Hawke, one of many familiar Training Day faces in this film) is in dire need of money, with a pregnant wife and a house that’s being outgrown. Detective “Tango” (Don Cheadle) is deep undercover and is wanting out. Maintaining our interest in these three separate stories is a tough act for screenwriter Michael C. Martin, and at times, not everything within these stories compels us. Early on, Sal’s motivations and dilemma is more interesting than Dugan’s, yet over the course of its almost-too-long running time, their arcs end, and due to the ride we just been on, Brooklyn’s Finest satisfies.

Each of these three stories could have been the backbone of the film, yet they in the end all are. Martin’s script isn’t anything new in this genre, but it plays the conventions with the right notes. It also features a few subtle moments that if you are attentive too, pay off in the end. Visual cues, little lines of dialogue, collide in a thrilling, violent, and dark ending. Brooklyn’s Finest is a great title, and from what the script explores makes you rethink the policemen on the force. Starting pay is $20k, and there’s these over zealous rookie cops that are hellbent on making a change. This dynamic played against say Richard Gere’s character, makes for a reserved and thoughtful look at what is a duty and what is a job. The film is really recommended for the acting. Personally, I love Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle in everything and they don’t disappoint here, yet I’ve never been keen on Gere. Martin’s script plays to Gere’s demeanor, and he is pitch perfect as a cop faced within the film’s question of duty versus job. Don’t you want to do something meaningful in your last two minutes? asks his boss, as Gere slightly contemplates, but rejects the offer. His arc is the theme of the film, and why the title makes sense.

I’m sure most won’t want to bask in what Martin’s script is saying, and are out for a promised (and who put that promise in place?) of a Fuqua Training Day follow-up. That’s a shame, because while it’s nothing new, it’s saying something interesting and timely. The badge is a labyrinth of decisions, expectations, and we rarely see beyond this symbolic, heroic idea of what a cop is. Brooklyn’s Finest shows us the men that face that weight.

Also, welcome back Wesley Snipes. We’ve missed you.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: Overture releases a solid HD version of the film. The picture is sharp, detail, and rich in textures. Colors are of the gritty NYC typical look, but blacks are deep. The DD 5.1 is pretty good too, although I wish the surrounds and other sound FX cues were upped a bit. Bass is deep, though. Maybe I’m DTS spoiled? Either wya, solid all around disc.

Commentary: Fuqua offers up a solo track, that while completely informational, could be viewed as a bit dry.

Chaos & Conflict: The Life of a New York Cop is your typical EPK making-of that runs a brief 7 minutes; Boyz N the Real Hood is an interview with Fuqua as he pushed to shoot the film in NYC and the reasons why; and An Eye for Detail: Director Featurette looks at Fuqua’s style. While EPK in nature, you should find some good bits in these small running time featurettes.

From the MTA to the WGA: Writer Featurette is a brief, but interesting look at the screenwriter’s journey to getting this film made, since he was once a toll-booth clerk. Three Cops and a Dealer: Character Profile is a throw away look at the actors and their characters, Trailers, a Digital Copy and 30 minutes of Deleted Scenes, mostly extended bits. But look for a few good Cheadle/Snipes scenes.

Conclusion: Not Fuqua’s best, but a solid film worth seeing on a really good HD disc.

The Film: Rating:

The Blu-ray: Rating: