Film Reviews

Narc

• Rating:
• Director: Joe Carnahan
• Starring: Alan C. Peterson
• Details: US / 107 minutes / (18).

A gritty, tough urban cop thriller which wears its influences on its sleeve, Narc stars Jason Patric as Nick Tellis, an undercover narcotics officer (hence the title folks). In the opening scenes, a thrilling chase ends in disaster as Tellis winds up accidentally shooting a pregnant woman, who subsequently loses her baby. Eighteen months later and the suspended cop is a father himself, called upon to help investigate the slaying of another narcotics officer. Reluctantly, Tellis accepts an offer made to him on one condition; a morally redundant and vengeful cop called Henry Oak (Liotta in his best form since GoodFellas) assists him on the case.

Sturdy rather than spectacular, Narc is a decent police procedural thriller that tries to pass itself as a study into the complexities of the competitive, embittered male psyche. And though the standard of writing doesn't quite match its ambitions, Narc is an atmospheric excursion and - despite the ultimate reliance on stereotype - one that warrants your attentions.

Review by Garreth Murphy