Best Movies about Government Corruption (Under Construction)

What's past is prologue. Some things never change: government always has been and remains corrupt. One person can and often does make a difference.

Can a police officer be true to himself and uphold the law when the system is corrupt? Though the names have been changed this is based upon true events.

Dark blue is a very gritty, realistic portrayal of the L.A. Police Department, always an ethically challenged outfit, even by the low standards of cops.

It's set at the time of the riots which followed the acquittal of the police officers involved in the Rodney King beating. Every cop in the movie has something to hide, many of them have alot to hide; and, there's very little they can or will do to prevent the city from coming apart. A true to life depiction of cops protecting and serving themselves, the public be damned.

Even when a cop tries to do the right thing (and in this riveting film, very few of the cops ever really try to do the right thing) it's impossible. There just is too much corruption and self-serving by high-ranking cops and politicians and the last thing they need, understand or will tolerate is a "good cop".

Can any cops do a good job when the highest authorities in the land do everything to make sure that's impossible?

Here's a big city mayor and his loyal assistant. Both are experts at getting votes and making sure the city is run their way; what neither is ready for is when they are forced to try and do some good for the people who pay them.

It's a wide-open national party convention and the candidates are going all out to win, using every trick in the book. Great cast, with Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson playing the two top contenders.

A cop refuses to go on the take and the other cops just don't get it, don't like it and won't tolerate it. What's a guy to do when he's surrounded by badges, guns and bad attitudes? Based on a true story.

Based on a novel, this film is a thinly disguised story about the real-life Kingfish, former Governor and US Senator Huey Long, who ran and ruled with the slogan "every man a king". Broderick Crawford gives a great performance as the ethically challenged "hick" who rises to the top of the heap, using all means fair and foul.

When the Vice-President dies the President wants to fill the vacancy with a woman. However, he'll need the US Senate to confirm and so there's got to be a real nasty fight. Great cast. Jeff Bridges is the president and Joan Allen is the woman who, if confirmed by the Senate would be the first woman to hold that office.

Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson play life long friends. Russell now is a cop in charge of L.A.'s drug cases and Gibson is the dealer who's been trying to retire.

Both are in love with the same woman, Michelle Pfeiffer. All of them are surrounded by corrupt cops and other corrupt government officials.

It's an honest look at the drug trade and how screwed up government policies and officials are out for themselves at the expense of the rest of us.

One of the best films I've seen on the drug trade.

Probably the first film to show how public officials and policies regarding the trade in illlicit substances in reality involve providing the occasion for corruption and how that has brought corruption into the highest offices in the land to the great expense and risk of the rest of society.

This is a must see movie!