A "Squad" not so Mod by Homer Yen (c) 1999
Here's a quick note to any motion picture company. If you preface your movie with a dictionary-like definition, you'd better be careful. Why? Because when the screen displays this snippet of information, it demands that we begin forming some kind of expectation about this film. In this instance, the word is 'mod'. Being mod is showcasing an unconventionality that is unexplainably cool. It's a mixture of rebellion and style or perhaps tenacity and wit. And the three members of the Mod Squad do exhibit varying degrees of 'modness'. Lincoln Hayes (Omar Epps) sports wicked facial hair and drives a mint 70s Oldsmobile convertible. Pete Cochran (Giovanni Ribisi) is a baby-faced, emotion-driven, loose cannon. And Julie Barnes (Claire Danes) looks fabulous in those hip-hugging pants that barely reach her waistline. But the film itself doesn't feel 'mod' as much as it does a patchwork crime story with elements recycled in from other films.
The story focuses on corruption within the police department and fingers begin to point in the direction of these three kids. It's easy to blame these three young rabble-rousers. They are all street-hardened kids who quickly lost their way as they entered adulthood. They've spent most of their young adult lives in jail who have been recruited by the police as special undercover operatives. You see, normal policemen aren't very cool, and these three have the ability to stealthily blend into places that no others can, like illegal rave dances or clubs suspected of fronting a prostitution ring. But these three suffer a handicap, as they come from broken families and a life of crime.
Without a father figure and a sense of guidance, they're seemingly at a loss as to how to determine the truth. All they have is each other. And, I would have liked to have seen more dialogue explore their inner thoughts and visions of their own personal sanctuary as they try to cope with their precarious situation. But the film was light on dialogue. I would also liked to have seen a modicum of police work, but it seemed as if the result of their efforts came by way of luck rather than real sleuthing. There is just way too much screen time devoted to the loneliness and despair that these three are going through. It was almost like watching a series of three-minute Ad Council commercials urging children to stay in school or to stay away from drugs. The story also mixes in elements of a vast police department conspiracy, Julie's ex-boyfriend who may or may not be as sincere as he seems, and a pimp and drug seller whose inclusion completely bewildered me.
Walking out of the theatre, it amazed me at how empty this movie was. It seemed as if the director was content on just having three cool-looking actors strut in and out of scenes. They yell, they scream, they curse a lot, they give the occasional 12-step hug, and they're scrappy enough to survive using only their wits. But we never really develop any kind of sympathy or attachment to any of the three. The villains were nondescript, and the story was equally flat. It only goes to show that looks aren't everything.
Grade: C
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