Wednesday, June 18, 2008

River City Blue

Author(s): Ross
Location: Memphis, TN

“River City Blue"

Directed by Stephen Gaghan
Written by Stephen Gaghan
Original Score by Alexandre Desplat
Produced by George Clooney & Steven SoderberghEdited by Steven Rosenblum
Cinematography by Roger Deakins

Principal Cast:

Det. David Griffin - George Clooney
James Baldwin - Jeffery Wright
Garrett Turner - Michael Pena
Congressman Tom Joseph - David Stratharin
Andre Forrester - Omar Gooding
Desmond Hardy - Forrest Whitaker
Carolyn Griffin - Diane Lane
Cortez - Mekhi Pfeifer
Mayor George Kinsberg - Barry Shabaka Henley
DA Louis Newson - William Fichtner

Tagline: "N/A"

Synopsis: Memphis, Tennessee is pound-for-pound one of the most crime-ridden, corrupt cities in the nation. Everyone from the mayor and the local US Representative down to street cops is taking bribes and skimming cash illegally. Violence runs high in the city as it is ridden with gang activity. Most notably the vice-lords and gangster disciples. Gang members from these two organizations are smuggling narcotics into Memphis. David Griffin (George Clooney) is a narcotics detective in the Memphis Police Department. He is one of the most highly respected detectives. Police Chief Desmond Hardy (Forrest Whitaker) has just been appointed the top spot in the department much to the chagrin of deceiving Congressman Tom Joseph (David Stratharin) and Mayor George Kinsberg (Barry Shabaka Henley). Because the city is engulfed in corruption, at every other turn Hardy has Internal Affairs investigating their own. Hardy pledges to rid the city of corruption and regain a good name in the eyes of the rest of the country. David Griffin likens internal affairs to traitors and is frustrated with the investigations and considers them pointless.

Griffin is going through a rough stretch with his wife Carolyn (Diane Lane). They both still love each other, but Dave seems more married to the job than Carolyn. Griffin’s partner is James Baldwin (Jeffery Wright). Baldwin and Griffin have been like family since they joined the force, but Griffin starts to grow suspicious of Baldwin when he sees a check on Baldwin‘s desk from an unknown sender. Griffin checks Baldwin’s email and finds a message from a man named “Peetie”. But, before Griffin can look into it Baldwin comes in and tells Griffin that they’ve gotten a tip about a large shipment of narcotics to the vice-lords coming in, so the police orchestrate a raid at a club downtown. But, the scene turns bad when the rival gangster disciples show up and a gang war breaks out. A shootout ensues and the police are caught in the crossfire. The police eventually regain control, but not before James Baldwin is killed. Griffin has lost his partner.

No matter what Baldwin was involved in, Griffin still considered him his brother. Griffin now felt a burning desire of vengeance to take down his partner’s killers and prevent the gangs from hurting any other innocent people. He has to explain to Baldwin’s wife and mother that her son was killed that night and he has trouble with it. Meanwhile, the gang leaders are having a war over territoriality. Andre Forrester (Omar Gooding) is the man in charge of the vice-lords. He is the new V.L. leader after the former leader was shot in a drive-by. Many of the other V.L.’s consider Forrester to be weak and the police raid at the club only proved their point further. He wants to stay in power, but fears that the others may conspire against him. He wonders how the police could have known about the shipment and he recruits a new young gun named Cortez (Mekhi Pfeifer) to locate and wipe out any police informants and overcome barriers to help the growth of the gang. Griffin, however, tries to track down this man known as “Peetie”. He goes into Baldwin’s computer and sends an email to “Peetie’s” address saying that he wants to meet. “Peetie” sends back that he wants to meet in the NBA arena during that night’s basketball game. He would leave a ticket at the box office. So, Griffin agrees and prepares to go after this “Peetie” and force him to tell him information. But, when he gets to his seat, “Peetie” explains that he is an undercover Memphis PD officer. He says his real name is Garrett Turner (Micahel Pena). He’s been undercover for nearly five years. He is stone-cold serious, but is happy to finally be his true self in front of someone else. He says that Baldwin was his contact and that had to be kept strictly confidential. Turner says that Baldwin promised to pull him out after the drug-raid and he asked David Griffin if he would take him out from undercover. But, Griffin says that he needs Turner to stay under longer and provide him with information to go straight to the top of the vice-lords.

So, Griffin, teams up with Turner and with his help, Det. Griffin gets closer to V.L. leader Andre Forrester, and eventually must work directly with the inside man to take down the gang and not let his partner die in vain. As the detective gets closer to the gang leaders, he soon discovers that many people in high places, even the police department and local government, would rather have the gangs stay in place to preserve the cycle of corruption for their own gain. As the detective digs deeper he discovers the danger of the gangs and, maybe even more as the danger and corruption connects from the lowest rank of gang member to his fellow police officers to the local lawmakers . The detective must reconsider the investigation for his own good, or go deeper and expose more than he originally expected.

What the press would say:

Stephen Gagman (Traffic, Syriana) takes the viewer into a dark world of gang activity and corruption. “River City Blue" manages to reinvigorate the crime genre with a grit and pugnacity all its own. Writer-director Stephen Gaghan displays an insider's feel for both the crummy bureaucratic hassles of investigative work and the deception of some assumed quality people that really are the criminals themselves. His edgy, handheld camera moves inflate the anything- can-happen tension. Gaghan also shows a talent of being an actor‘s director. There are high quality performances all around.

Most notably, George Clooney delivers a rangy, complex portrayal of a man for whom defiance seems the only sane response to the insane demands of internal affairs, the crooked police department, and his wife. Clooney’s character must defy the orders of his superiors to expose the rotten deeds of the department and local government. Michael Pena displays his improvements as an actor and portrays a disconnected undercover officer who does the job but yearns to get out. Forrest Whitaker is newly appointed Police Chief Desmond Hardy. Hardy is determined to clean up the department, but his peers are determined that he doesn’t. The dirtiest of them all is Congressman Tom Jospeh played by David Stratharin who will literally kill to ensure himself extra income. He is a dangerous character and the leader of the scandal.

The film benefits from an unconventional setting in Memphis, Tennessee. The city really is one of the most crime-ridden and corrupt cities around. The sense of atmosphere in this movie is great. From inner-city projects to business district courthouses, Gaghan brings us a movie really propelled by the atmosphere it presents. Gaghan fills the movie with intrigue, danger, and emotion and in the end teaches us a lesson about greed and how in the end it will bring us all down. “River City Blue” is an intense, exciting, and intriguing story of corruption and greed.

Possible Nominations:

Best Picture
Best Director- Stephen Gaghan
Best Actor- George Clooney
Best Supporting Actor- David Stratharin
Best Supporting Actor- Michael Pena
Best Supporting Actor- Forrest Whitaker
Best Original Screenplay- Stephen Gaghan
Best Editing- Steven Rosenblum
Best Original Score- Alexandre Desplat

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