Another great film screened & discussed by us ๐๐ฝ๐
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL is one of the great films about the history, culture, and vibe of Los Angeles.
I wouldn't change a thing about it. It is a near-perfect movie. The directing, the writing, the performances.
The inciting incident doesn't come until minute 30! The inciting incident!
Itโs also one of my favorite examples of what I call the โTheory Placeholder.โ
This is a screenwriting device for mysteries where the audience always has just enough information to think they know whatโs going on.
Theyโre never confused; they may even think they're half a step ahead of the protagonist.
But theyโre wrong every time until the end.
The joy is that theyโre never lied to; they just get more information as they go, with each theory replaced by a new one.
Itโs a robbery gone wrong.
Itโs about prostitutes cut up to look like movie stars.
Itโs about blackmail.
Itโs about the mob.
Itโs about corrupt cops.
Itโs about city council.
It's about cops replacing the mob.
Throw in the characters, the dialogue, the music, the lookโฆ
What a great movie. What a great city. I love them both.