I walked out of "Copland" with a very excited feeling above filmmaking that I haven't felt since seeing "Fargo"...Not that Copland is on par with Fargo, but nonetheless, I have been so routinely dissapointed lately (see my reviews for Faceoff, Michael, and Shine, for example at http://w3.one.net/~mcpilot/movies.htm) that I am sometimes squeamish about spending the $7.50.
Not so Copland. It was a thoroughly enjoyable film which should, in my opinion, earn Stallone a Best Actor Nomination. Yes, I will be the first to say it.
THe film is set in Garrisson, NJ, a small extention of New York City in which numerous NYPD Cops have come to settle to get away from the crime and noise of the Big Apple. Garrisson was created, ostensibly, BY the cops, FOR the cops. It acts as a haven for the most crooked of New York's finest, the leader of which is Ray Donlan (Harvey Keitel)
The plot emerges slowly, as does the film, but frankly, that was a nice change of pace from the usual summer fare that tries to top every last scene with one which is louder and more violent. A young cop, Murray "Superboy" Babich (So named because he singlehandedly saved a family of children) gets himself into a troubling situation when he impulsively kills two young joyriders. Donlan, Murray's uncle and a fellow police officer, immediately covers up the mistake by planting weapons in the victims' car, and by making it appear as though "Superboy" took his own life by diving off the George Washinton Bridge.
In reality, Ray is hiding his nephew out in Garrisson, until the Internal Affairs Investigation cools off. The IA Investigator, Moe Tilden (Robert Dinero) knows instinctively that something is amiss with the killing of the two suspects. He has evidence that there were not armed, that the evidence was planted, and that Murray is alive somewhere. If he can find Murray, he can prove a cover up, and he can finally nail Donlan and is on-the-take cronies.
That's anough about the plot. It's invoved enough that it would take a significant investment in bandwidth to explain it fully.
Sylvester Stallone plays Freddie Heflin, the local sherriff of Garrisson. His was essentially an appointed post, handed to him by Donlan, because a) Freddy could not get the job he truly longed for, that of an NYPD officer, due to deafness in one ear caused by a childhood accident and b) knowing that he wanted more than anything than to be a cop, Donlan knows that Freddy will stay out of the way of the crooked business being conducted in the city, around the round table at the cop's 4-Aces bar.
Stallone is EXCELLENT. His portrayl of the unassertive, pushover Freddy is instantly convincing. You do not see a single trace of the teeth gritting, groaning Rambo that Stallone made famous, in fact, you forget you watching Stallone at all. He brings Freddy to life in the very first scene, an overweight, bumbling cop wannabe, who hangs out at the 4-aces but is neither welcomed nor shunned. He's Donlan's sycophant, standing idly by, as the corruption goes on under his nose, relegated to solving discarded garbage problems and jacknifed trucks.
Stallone draws a very convincing picture of Freddy. His life is full of regrets, his movements those of a beaten man, laying around in his spare time listening to wistful Springstine. The movie is basically the story of how Freddy slowly awakens to his conscience and ultimately, tired of being dressed down by the crooked cops, decides to BE a cop and do the right thing.
Now, don't get me wrong, this is not the moment where the music swells and Stallone ties the red bandana on and proceeds to blow the whole Police Dept. away without missing a shot. The Director (James Mangold, who also wrote) resists this temptation and suceeds. That is where this movie, in fact, succeeds, in that the Freddy's character is true, from start to finish. You will see what I mean in the very last scene. This scene is critical in keeping the movie true to itself. Freddy does not go on to marry the girl, to become chief detective of the NYPD's 37th precinct.
All of the actors do a great job, especially Ray Liotta, who, in my humble opinion, could have won the OverActor's Anonymous Award for his bizzare turn in "Turbulence", and here, finds the right blend of manic corruption and a conscience trying to get out. Keitel is perfect, and Dinero is his usual excellent. And, while I am a fan of Janeane Garofalo, she took a rather small part here, although I suspect because she was interested in being a part of this film for no other reason.
A word of caution--this film is involved. There are subplots and backstories aplenty, that will all come together at the end. It's not like "Face Off" where the set up took 1 minute and you got bullets for the remaining 120. This film requires some work on your part, to keep up and resolve. Oddly, some of the same critics who are complaining about the numerous side stories (Which are, in my opinion, all relevant) are the same folks who loved "Get Shorty". It took a slide rule and a plumb-bob to keep all of the weaves in THAT film straight!
"Copland" is a very very good film. Stallone has shown that he can act. Take it in for no other reason than for that performance.
Pat August 97
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