Bad Lieutenant
Proving that he may be the most fearless actor of his or any other generation, Harvey Keitel gives an amazing, no-holds-barred performance in director Abel Ferrara's uncompromising 1992 film about a New York cop on the edge of self-annihilation. The film's title is meant to be taken literally: Keitel's character has no redeeming values whatsoever, save for his desperate need for redemption. Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide is correct in calling this an "over-the-top Catholic guilt movie," but it's been made with such conviction that Ferrara and Keitel transcend the sheer unpleasantness of the material to give it a kind of tragic divinity. Here's a character so vile and corrupted that he consumes or re-sells the drugs he confiscates, but when he's assigned to investigate the brutal rape of a nun who refuses to press charges, he feels that this is his opportunity to redeem his rotten soul. Deservedly rated NC-17 due to its rough content and a frontal nude scene that even Keitel's most loyal fans could do without, this film tends to divide viewers into love-it-or-hate-it categories, but few could deny its raw power and the deeply anguished humanity that Keitel brings to his role. Whatever your reaction may be, few would deny this is an unforgettable film. –Jeff Shannon
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars get the NC-17 version
this is a great (gritty) film. there are 2 versions available (NC-17 and R) this new special edition is listed as R… while I'd love to see this film get a nice remastered DVD I have to warn against getting the R rated version unless you prefer your films edited for content.
so, great movie but make sure you get the older NC-17 version (unless this new DVD is just listed wrong)
2 Stars Long trawl through the gutter
BAD LIEUTENANT
(USA – 1992)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono
A dissolute New York cop (Harvey Keitel) finds redemption whilst investigating the case of a nun (Frankie Thorn) who was gang raped and forgave her attackers.
Abel Ferrara's grimy little epic has been described as 'daring', 'brave' and 'controversial' by its many admirers, as though rubbing the audience's nose in excrement for 98 minutes automatically qualifies the movie for sainthood. Keitel's performance is astonishingly natural and convincing, and his various acts of debasement (whether taking drugs, masturbating in front of two young women he's pulled over for a minor traffic violation, or regressing into infantile chemical-induced behavior while Ferrara's camera stares impassively at the actor's full-frontal nudity) are quite audacious.
However, the movie is little more than an endurance test, and after a full hour of watching Keitel take drugs, more drugs and yet MORE drugs, many viewers will want to throw up their hands and cry: "Enough already! Get to the damn punchline!" And when that punchline is finally reached – after a long, L-O-N-G trawl through the scuzziest Catholic guilt trip you'll ever see – it hardly seems worth the effort. However, the scene in which Jesus (Paul Hipp) makes a fleeting appearance is strange, unsettling and beautiful, all at the same time.
1 Star 5.1 digital??..yeah..right!
loved this movie have the dvd and laserdisc..but i was glad to see on the packaging finally a 5.1 soundtrack…NOTTA!!!…its the 2.0..unbelieveable i clicked on audio choices…you have the choice between 2.0 and the audio commentery…stick with the original from aartisan…very decieful
4 Stars Fearless…
To say that `Bad Lieutenant' is disturbing or unsettling would be an understatement. To say that it is a masterpiece would be an overstatement. To admit that the film's layers of darkness shed light on a poignant study of redemption and forgiveness would be hitting the nail on the head. There is a lot within `Bad Lieutenant' that is poised and ready to make you turn away (and possibly turn it off) but there is a lot hidden beneath the often graphic surface that is waiting to be dissected for the benefit of the viewer.
If you can get through the film then you will have a lot to talk about.
Harvey Keitel (in his finest on-screen performance) plays the Lieutenant, a drug addicted sleaze who is truly defined by the title `bad'. The film's opening scenes paint him in all his perverse glory but soon we see the layers of anarchy stripped away to reveal a truly distressed soul seeking some sort of solace.
Keitel is really the reason to see this film.
The premise is slightly formulaic, but the way it is handled (this is less a story about a crime and more the story of the man investigating the crime) helps elevate the seemingly generic prose. It is a highly intense character study that benefits from a steady (and edgy) hand on the part of director Abel Ferrara and a fearless (and gutsy) performance by Harvey Keitel.
Let's just talk for a minute about Keitel. I really love this guy as an actor, and in the early 90's (late 80's) he was flawless. With strong, award worthy performances in films like `The Last Temptation of Christ', `Reservoir Dogs', `Thelma and Louise' and even `Sister Act', Keitel was proving himself a valuable player in American cinema. It's easy to see why this performance was ignored by Oscar, beings the graphic and at times rough nature of the film, but this is by far the best performance of the year and one of the greatest male performances of all time. Early on in the film there is a scene where Keitel pulls over two young girls driving illegally, and instead of arresting them or calling their parents he abuses them (not physically, but mentally, and quite graphically). I mention this scene because it is hard to stomach and completely blunt in nature, and one that most actors would have shied away from completely. Keitel went there, ALL THE WAY THERE, and delivered a shockingly realistic portrayal of a very, very `bad' man. There are few films that capture this level of fearlessness (think De Niro's `Taxi Driver' or Crowe's `Romper Stomper').
Keitel is a revelation.
Like I said, this film is not a masterpiece, and it has its faults, but for the most part the film succeeds in being more than it appears. There is a lot brimming below the surface here that one could quickly overlook if they are not careful. It is not a film for everyone, and its nature is going to turn a lot of people off, but if you can stomach it you will be heavily rewarded with a performance that is unlike any other you have ever seen.
5 Stars LT. is the just like Christ
the first time I watched this film was a the Actor Guild in Hollywood back in 1991 and all I could think was LT is the exact opposite of Christ but like Christ he forgives the criminals and sacrifices himself for the good of others.
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