Alex Cox is one of the most original, brave and uncompromising directors to emerge from Britain in the last twenty years. Unfortunately it seems he has to fight tooth and nail to get his movies made, and when he manages to get them released they are virtually ignored. It's a shame that a second rate, audience pleasing hack like Guy Ritchie gets all the attention he does when he doesn't have a TENTH of the talent Cox has!
Ever since Cox's second feature 'Sid And Nancy' his career has been a mess. His follow ups, the controversial political drama 'Walker', and the self indulgent spaghetti western homage 'Straight To Hell', almost killed stone dead any chance of mainstream Hollywood success. After a period in the wilderness he returned with his Mexican made 'Highway Patrolman', and it is his most polished, conventional and artistically successful movie to date. Sadly it hasn't reached a larger audience, though one wonders if Steven Soderbergh is a fan, as sections of his 'Traffic' (the good bits!) bear quite a striking resemblance to Cox's movie.
Everything about 'Highway Patrolman' is superb - the script, the acting (especially Roberto Sosa in the title role of an idealistic young cop who must wrestle with his conscience), the editing and cinematography. The movie lacks Cox's trademark surreal subversiveness, so it is not all that representative of his output, but who cares when the results are as fine as this. An emotionally engaging, well crafted movie that any film maker should be proud to be responsible for. Try and see it!
Ever since Cox's second feature 'Sid And Nancy' his career has been a mess. His follow ups, the controversial political drama 'Walker', and the self indulgent spaghetti western homage 'Straight To Hell', almost killed stone dead any chance of mainstream Hollywood success. After a period in the wilderness he returned with his Mexican made 'Highway Patrolman', and it is his most polished, conventional and artistically successful movie to date. Sadly it hasn't reached a larger audience, though one wonders if Steven Soderbergh is a fan, as sections of his 'Traffic' (the good bits!) bear quite a striking resemblance to Cox's movie.
Everything about 'Highway Patrolman' is superb - the script, the acting (especially Roberto Sosa in the title role of an idealistic young cop who must wrestle with his conscience), the editing and cinematography. The movie lacks Cox's trademark surreal subversiveness, so it is not all that representative of his output, but who cares when the results are as fine as this. An emotionally engaging, well crafted movie that any film maker should be proud to be responsible for. Try and see it!