Dark Blue (2002)

A robbery homicide investigation triggers a series of events that will cause a corrupt LAPD officer to question his tactics.

Director:

Ron Shelton

Writers:

James Ellroy (story), David Ayer (screenplay)

Stars:

Kurt Russell, Ving Rhames, Scott Speedman

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kurt Russell	...	Eldon Perry
Scott Speedman	...	Bobby Keough
Michael Michele	...	Beth Williamson
Brendan Gleeson	...	Jack Van Meter
Ving Rhames	...	Arthur Holland
Kurupt	...	Darryl Orchard
Dash Mihok	...	Gary Sidwell
Jonathan Banks	...	James Barcomb
Lolita Davidovich	...	Sally Perry
Khandi Alexander	...	Janelle Holland
Dana Lee	...	Henry Kim
Chapman Way	...	Eldon Perry III (as Chapman Russell Way)
Marin Hinkle	...	Deena Schultz
Jim Cody Williams	...	Suspect
Eloy Casados	...	Rico

Storyline

Set in the Los Angeles Police Department in April 1992, Dark Blue is a dramatic thriller that takes place just days before the acquittal of four white officers in the beating of black motorist Rodney King and the subsequent L.A. riots. In this racially-charged climate,the LAPD's elite Special Investigations Squad (SIS) is assigned a high-profile quadruple homicide. As they work the case, veteran detective Eldon Perry, known for his tough street tactics and fiery temper, tutors SIS rookie Bobby Keough in the grim realities of police intimidation and corruption. Meanwhile, Assistant Chief Holland, the only man in the department willing to stand up to the SIS, threatens to end Perry's brand of singlehanded "justice" on the Los Angeles streets. While navigating through the tumultuous neighborhoods of South Central L.A., Perry and Keough must track down cold-blooded killers and face their own demons, which prove to be more ruthless than the criminals they pursue.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1992 | neo noir | corrupt cop | police officer | police detective | 

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Taglines:

Sworn to protect / Sworn to serve / Sworn to secrecy

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality

Details

Country:

USA UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

4-29-92

Filming Locations:

La Verne, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,880,688, 23 February 2003

Gross USA:

$9,250,301

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,150,301

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alphaville Films, Cosmic Pictures, IM Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS (5.1)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was an original screenplay written by James Ellroy entitled "The Plague Season". It was in development for eight years. One time the film was set up at Universal Pictures.

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Goofs

During the sex scene between the young detective and Beth, their underwear is showing under the covers.

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Quotes

Det. Sgt. Eldon Perry Jr.: That's Eldon Perry the third. Right there next to his mom.
Det. Sgt. Eldon Perry Jr.: He will never be a cop - he hates cops. I love him and I... I thank God that I was just too busy pass on to him what my granddaddy passed on to my daddy and my daddy passed on to me - And I was raised up to be a gunfighter by a family of gunfighters.

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Connections

Referenced in The Task: Pilot (2016)

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Soundtracks

Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg
Written by Dallas Austin, Roger Ball, Robert Kool Bell (as Robert E. Bell),
Ronald Bell, George Bowen, Donald Boyce, Malcolm Duncan, Steve Ferrone,
, Alan Gorrie, Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes (as Lisa Lopes), Onnie McIntyre (as Owen McIntyre),
, Robert Spike Mickens (as Robert Mickens), Claydes Smith, Hamish Stuart,
, Dennis D.T. Thomas (as Dennis Thomas) and Richard Westfield (as Richard Wesfield)
Performed by TLC
Courtesy of Arista Records

User Reviews

Surprisingly Good Cop Flick

About halfway through this movie, I realized I hadn't blinked once. That's when I knew that I was watching a really good film. Kurt Russell is no slouch of an actor. He was riveting. This was a well crafted cop flick where everyone seems to have dirt on someone else, and meanwhile, there are crimes being committed, and L.A. is about to erupt in rioting.

The great thing about this flick is that it doesn't try to be more than it is. Which is just a very entertaining, suspenseful cop movie.

Well worth a watch.

Or two.