Righteous Kill (2008)

Two veteran New York City detectives work on a case of serial executions of criminals who escaped justice.

Director:

Jon Avnet

Writer:

Russell Gewirtz

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Carla Gugino

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Turk
Al Pacino	...	Rooster
50 Cent	...	Spider (as Curtis Jackson)
Carla Gugino	...	Karen Corelli
John Leguizamo	...	Det. Simon Perez
Donnie Wahlberg	...	Det. Ted Riley
Brian Dennehy	...	Hingis
Trilby Glover	...	Jessica
Saidah Arrika Ekulona	...	Gwen Darvis
Alan Rosenberg	...	Stein
Sterling K. Brown	...	Rogers
Barry Primus	...	Prosky
Melissa Leo	...	Cheryl Brooks
Alan Blumenfeld	...	Martin Baum
Oleg Taktarov	...	Yevgeny Mugalat

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

woman in a men's room | murder of a priest | washington heights manhattan | black pantyhose | weightlifting | 

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Taglines:

"There's nothing wrong with a little shooting as long as the right people get shot" [UK]

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and brief drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

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.

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Goofs

When Turk and Rooster are in the church (near the beginning after the weapon has been planted) the harsh key light (sun ray from window) comes from stage right. When they cut to the close up it comes from stage left.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Rooster: One, between the eye!
Turk: Two, between the eye!

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Crazy Credits

After the credits, the sound of a train is heard.

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Connections

References The Partridge Family (1970)

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Soundtracks

War
Written by Darryl Pittman and Tyrone Smith
Performed by D/R Period feat. Tyrone Smith (as Fly Ty)
Published by Spirit Two Music, Inc. o/b/o Next Level Groove Music (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Rockboy Street Records

User Reviews

Grows on you with age...

Two Academy Award winners Robert De Niro (Raging Bull) and Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman) star as a pair of veteran New York detectives tracking down a serial killer.

You have two screen legends and a competent director Jon Avnet. Although both De Niro and Pacino appeared in the Godfather part two and Heat, this film brings them together for a full feature. However, the leads left it little late, Pacino especially looks a too little old for some of his characters actions.

Avnet also directed 88 minutes, although I found it an enjoyable Pacino yarn, critics unjustly panned the film. Unfortunately, Avnet doesn't deliver with Righteous Kill, it appears to have an uneven basic script reminiscent of an 80's cop show. The film is badly edited in places and it comes to something where 50 Cent steals the show as the drug baron club owner. Supporting cast including John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg who do a surprising good job but you can't help thinking that maybe the roles should have be switched with De Niro and Pacino appearing less, to give the film a back bone and put Leguizamo and Wahlberg in the forefront.

With an overdrawn final showdown you left wanting something more fulfilling. Overall, watch if your a fan of De Niro and Pacino or just for curiosity.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Russian

Release Date:

12 September 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Righteous Kill

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,288,361, 14 September 2008

Gross USA:

$40,081,410

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$79,498,846

Company Credits

Production Co:

Millennium Films, Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films (EFO Films), Grosvenor Park Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1