NIGHT FALLS ON MANHATTAN
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1997 Ben Hoffman
The word that springs to mind is SPELLBINDING. In every way, which includes the taut direction, the superb cast, the witty and precise dialogue, and of course, the story (based on Robert Daley's book, TAINTED EVIDENCE, that word sums up the film. Andy Garcia, who is in almost every scene, gives a terrific performance. Richard Dreyfuss, a real pro, just has to give a slight smirk, a lift of an eyebrow and he is utterly believable. And then there is the rest of the superb supporting cast aiding to make this a Four-Byter.
This is a story of integrity, of being able to look oneself in the mirror. That is what eventually confronts Sean Casey (Garcia) when he begins to investigate the police force, 3 suspect precincts in NYC; and he has to wonder about Joey (James Gandolfini), the cop and partner of Sean's father, Liam Casey (Ian Holm) and who is on the take, protecting and giving information to the drug dealers in exchange for money?
Jordan Washington (Shiek Mahmud-Bey) is impressive, tall, handsome and menacing as the drug dealer the police would like to kill because they have been offered a better deal than he was willing to give them. When they close in on him, he ends up fatally shooting several police and severely wounding the police veteran, Liam Casey. That is all the excuse District Attorney Morgenstern (Ron Leibman) needs to order his cops to make Washington sorry he was ever born "and we'll worry about the Civil Liberties Union later!" Washington had surrendered to Attorney Sam Vigoda (Dreyfuss), an attorney in the mode of famed attorney William Kunstler. And is Dreyfuss ever good!
Morgenstern is running for higher office against another District attorney, Elihu Harrison (Colm Fiore) and in this high profile case against Washington, he invites Sean, a former cop, and now a neophyte attorney in the District Attorney's office, to be the prosecutor. He tells him the trial will be a snap: several police fatally shot by Washington, Sean's father in the hospital, drug dealer. "You can't lose." They reckon without the brilliance of Vigoda.
Love interest in this tale of divided loyalties, backbiting and honesty, is provided by Peggy (Lena Olin) who works in Vigoda's office but falls in love with Sean.
Sidney Lumet feels: "The greatest threats to the nation are drugs and racism." He wants us to start fighting back before it is too late. "Where is the line that separates "healthy compromise" from "destructive loss of idealism? 'Just don't do it' and 'Just say "No" is symptomatic of everything cockeyed about how we live: Put a sound byte on it and it will go away."
Written and Directed by Sidney Lumet.
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Ben Hoffman
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