Broken City (2013)

In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed and then framed by its most powerful figure: Mayor Nicholas Hostetler.

Director:

Allen Hughes

Writer:

Brian Tucker

Stars:

Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Wahlberg	...	Billy Taggart
Russell Crowe	...	Mayor Hostetler
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Cathleen Hostetler
Jeffrey Wright	...	Carl Fairbanks
Barry Pepper	...	Jack Valliant
Alona Tal	...	Katy Bradshaw
Natalie Martinez	...	Natalie Barrow
Michael Beach	...	Tony Jansen
Kyle Chandler	...	Paul Andrews
James Ransone	...	Todd Lancaster
Griffin Dunne	...	Sam Lancaster
Odessa Sykes	...	Secretary - Hostetler
Britney Theriot	...	Valerie
Luis Tolentino	...	Mikey Tavarez
Tony Bentley	...	Judge

Storyline

In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop Billy Taggart seeks redemption and revenge after being double-crossed and then framed by its most powerful figure: Mayor Nicholas Hostetler.

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Plot Keywords:

mayor | policeman | corpse | rain | demonstration | 

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Taglines:

Proof Can Be a Powerful Weapon.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ciudad de sombras

Filming Locations:

Hingham, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$8,268,908 (USA) (18 January 2013)

Gross:

$19,692,608 (USA) (29 March 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Emmett/Furla Films, Inferno International, Regency Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As one of the producers, Mark Wahlberg offered the role of Billy Taggart to Michael Fassbender, but when he declined, Wahlberg ended up playing the part himself.

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Goofs

When we are first shown Paul Andrews's body, (at the crime scene), it is very clear that he has been shot in the chest. When Taggart later goes to Todd Lancaster's house and interrogates him about Andrews, Todd says that he was "shot in the head".

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Quotes

[first lines]
Prosecutor: Your Honor, it's murder. Even when the police do it.

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.74 (2013)

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Soundtracks

"Party Up In Here"
Written by Earl Simmons and Kasseem Dean
Performed by DMX

User Reviews

Smarter than You Think, Not as Clever as You Hope

Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) is a New York city cop who got off on a technicality following his execution of a supposed rapist/murder. Discharged from the force by his Captain (Jeffrey Wright), Taggart is viewed highly by Mayor Hostetler (Russell Crowe) for taking out the trash with a common thug. Seven years later, Hostetler, amidst a re- election battle against golden boy city councilman Jack Valliant (Barry Pepper), hires Taggart to find out who is sleeping with his gorgeous wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones). As Taggart follows, he uncovers a much larger conspiracy.

In his first solo outing, Allen Hughes (one half of the Hughes brothers that brought us "The Book of Eli") now offers a stylish, dark vision of corruption in New York. The ladies are beautiful and all have something to hide, the men are violent and vicious and the story is ripped out of countless true-to-life headlines. "Broken City" lives up to its name and fires a slug packed with intrigue and intelligence. That doesn't necessarily translate to mean "clever".

The story sold in the trailer is a bit misleading, but perhaps that's the point. Mayor Hostetler's hiring of the true-blue cop Taggart is only a minor segment of a much larger puzzle. It involves cops, businessmen, and politicians in bribery and exploitation with a prize that all but Billy seem to seek: power. Overall that is the film's theme and it more than adequately conveys it. If you understand that and aren't looking for much else, "Broken City" is your ticket.

As I was watching the film I kept thinking that there must have been some significant cutting and re-editing. Perhaps the original cut was too dry so they added in some scenes and cut some to make the film seem more edgy. But it doesn't seem as edgy as it could have been. A number of subplots (for instance Billy's actress girlfriend, or the undeveloped father-son relationship between two of the villains) go nowhere and remain unresolved when the screen goes black. I felt much the same way.

Mark Wahlberg does an excellent job playing Mark Wahlberg, a role he was born to play. Catherine Zeta-Jones is as beautiful and commanding as ever in a role that is too short for the movie. But it is Russell Crowe who devours his scenes with the political intensity I would suppose is necessary for any real Mayor of New York. Even as the script built around Billy lags, Crowe tears apart his role. He shows why he is truly one of the best actors in the business.

The supporting cast of this film are as much a draw as the leads. Jeffrey Wright, the usual supporting character with more power than he lets on, plays the secretive Police Commissioner. His character is introduced as a stock role but ends up being much more. Kyle Chandler has a small role that deserved to be expanded. Barry Pepper, who wasn't even featured in the trailer, is the only actor in the film with the same bravado as Crowe. His scenes, particularly one with Wright and Wahlberg, are indicative of why he should be the one on the poster, now buried in the bottom credits.

Overall "Broken City" kept my attention but left me hungry for more. I suppose that is all you can ask for at the movies. I would take this ride again.