On the day that a serial killer that he helped put away is supposed to be executed, a noted forensic psychologist and college professor receives a call informing him that he has 88 minutes left to live.
After suffering a career-ending knee injury, a former college football star aligns himself with one of the most renowned touts in the sports-gambling business.
A pair of aging stickup men try to get the old gang back together for one last hurrah before one of the guys takes his last assignment - to kill his comrade.
A Puerto Rican former convict, just released from prison, pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him and lead on to a better life outside of N.Y.C.
Turk and Rooster, two aging NYPD detectives and longtime partners, are hunting a serial killer who is murdering sociopathic criminals. They both have personal issues, and when they start working with a younger investigative team, Perez and Riley, tensions between the two teams is inevitable, especially since Turk is now living with Perez's ex-girlfriend, also a homicide detective.Written by
duke1029@aol.com
When Al Pacino is asked by the psychiatrist what he would do if he retired, Rooster answers "I don't know, buy a boat." In the movie, Donnie Brasco, Al Pacino plays Lefty, who has an affinity for boats, and wants one he cannot afford. Near the end of the movie, Donny Brasco asks Pacino if he had his boat would he sail away & leave organized crime. See more »
Goofs
When Turk and Rooster leave the precinct house to see Charles Randall in prison they are driving a dark/black Ford Grand Marquis. En route they are seen driving on the bridge in a dark/black Lincoln Town Car. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Rooster:
One, between the eye!
Turk:
Two, between the eye!
See more »
Crazy Credits
In the credits, there is a stunt double for Ms. Peltz. See more »
We Fly High
Written by Jim Jones (as James Jones), Zukhan Bey
Performed by Jim Jones
Published by All rights administered by Songs of Universal, Inc. (BMI) on behalf of itself and Sally Ruth Esther Publ.,
Inc. (BMI)/Zukhan Music/Art in the Fodder Music (BMI); admin by Arthouse Entertainment
Courtesy of Koch Records by arrangement with Shelly Bay Music See more »
User Reviews
Like Lennon and McCartney... sure, if not with the best director
Righteous Kill is a kind of prototypical modern cop thriller that has the intonations of a neo-noir mixed in with some iconic figures. The script, in a way, is much better than I might have thought, and the actors- stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, in a film technically for the third time and for the first time technically in the frame for more than a few seconds (a pressure obviously from those who whined about their bit at the diner in Heat) as well as the likes of Brian Denehey and Carla Gugino- do their best to make it an entertaining ride. And for all of its recycled elements and plot turns and tough-guy take-no-s*** dialog, it's a fun ride for what it's worth as far as substance goes. You want to see what will happen with these two veteran cop characters as they delve deeper into this killer case (somewhat ripped off from Magnum Force, or something like that in terms of the victims), and what the "twist" will ultimately be.
For those who might think it tired or stiff, I wouldn't put any real blame on the stars, or even Gerwitz's (flawed) screenplay, which does occasionally pull off dark and funny banter and some coarse dialog and action and thrills to the degree that one saw in his Inside Man script. The problem mostly was the direction; Jon Avnet is not a visionary, nor is he a really well-suited neo-noir director. He's just a competent technician (if not veerying close to outright hack) enough to dig up a few potent bits or visual touches, and mostly tries to make the film "hip" and "fresh" and "inventive" with the approach to style in the flashbacks, and he doesn't possibly bypass the pitgalls in Gerwitz's script. What is pleasing, ultimately, about the picture is that it's not bad at all, and is actually a good movie. But with characters played by near generational icons dubbed in the film as "like Lennon and McCartney", this isn't quite up to their previous snuff together. They deserve just a little better with the likes of Godfather 2 and Heat to their previous collaborations.
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Righteous Kill is a kind of prototypical modern cop thriller that has the intonations of a neo-noir mixed in with some iconic figures. The script, in a way, is much better than I might have thought, and the actors- stars Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, in a film technically for the third time and for the first time technically in the frame for more than a few seconds (a pressure obviously from those who whined about their bit at the diner in Heat) as well as the likes of Brian Denehey and Carla Gugino- do their best to make it an entertaining ride. And for all of its recycled elements and plot turns and tough-guy take-no-s*** dialog, it's a fun ride for what it's worth as far as substance goes. You want to see what will happen with these two veteran cop characters as they delve deeper into this killer case (somewhat ripped off from Magnum Force, or something like that in terms of the victims), and what the "twist" will ultimately be.
For those who might think it tired or stiff, I wouldn't put any real blame on the stars, or even Gerwitz's (flawed) screenplay, which does occasionally pull off dark and funny banter and some coarse dialog and action and thrills to the degree that one saw in his Inside Man script. The problem mostly was the direction; Jon Avnet is not a visionary, nor is he a really well-suited neo-noir director. He's just a competent technician (if not veerying close to outright hack) enough to dig up a few potent bits or visual touches, and mostly tries to make the film "hip" and "fresh" and "inventive" with the approach to style in the flashbacks, and he doesn't possibly bypass the pitgalls in Gerwitz's script. What is pleasing, ultimately, about the picture is that it's not bad at all, and is actually a good movie. But with characters played by near generational icons dubbed in the film as "like Lennon and McCartney", this isn't quite up to their previous snuff together. They deserve just a little better with the likes of Godfather 2 and Heat to their previous collaborations.