Gang Related (1997) User Reviews

Better than expected

[jmorrison-2 · 7/10 · 9 May 2005]

Much better movie than I expected. Jim Belushi and Tupac Shakur have a good chemistry as 2 crooked, conflicted cops. Tupac Shakur actually played a very good character as the increasingly troubled cop. He was willing to bend some rules, and put some money in his pocket, but things have now gone entirely too far for him. Jim Belushi plays a morally dumb cop who continues to make the situation worse, and continues to believe he can probably manipulate his way out of anything.

Dennis Quaid, James Earl Jones and Lela Rochon were all excellent.

I didn't expect too much from this, but I was drawn into a well-done, well-acted movie.

nice work from Tupac

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 30 August 2015]

Corrupt cops Frank Divinci (James Belushi) and Rodriguez (Tupac Shakur) kill a drug dealer to rob him with stripper Cynthia Webb (Lela Rochon). Rodriguez owes a large gambling debt to a loan shark. Divinci and Rodriguez are assigned to investigate the murder of the drug dealer who turns out to be an undercover DEA agent. They frame a homeless man (Dennis Quaid) for the crime. The cover-up becomes more and more complicated.

This is an interesting little crime drama. The Dunner trial should be extended because that provides some of the tension. He gets off and is never heard from again. The various story threads should combine and cross until the whole thing blows up at the climax. Belushi does bombastic but he needs more desperation. Tupac is pretty good and shows that he could have been an interesting actor if he lived.

Surprisingly effective film--gritty style and violent content are appropriate here. *** out of ***

[Movie-12 · 7/10 · 27 December 1999]

GANG RELATED (1997) ***

Starring: James Belushi, Tupac Shakur, Lela Rochon, Dennis Quaid, James Earl Jones, and David Paymer Written and directed by: Jim Kouf Running Time: 106 minutes Rated R (for strong pervasive language, violence, sexual situations, and some nudity)

By Blake French:

My expectations for "Gang Related" weren't exactly peak high when I decided to screen it. The production just didn't look like anything new to be added into the gritty undercover street cop genre. I was wrong, and the film is somewhat original. I liked the film and its gritty ghetto style it is shot in. I recommend it to those of you looking for a violence action picture with an attitude.

The film's setup begins a little week, but then triggers a series of unpredictable events that connect to each other in a distributive fashion. The two main characters are FBI agents Divinci (James Belushi), and Rodriguez (Tupac Shakur). They are corrupt cops, taking the law into their own hands in many cases, sometimes resulting in murder. One night, Divinci and Rodriguez undercover a drug bust that ends in them shooting the seeming criminal dead. As it turns out, the so called drug lord was actually an undercover cop.

The movie's intentions are clear from the first act; we are watching a story from the bad guys point of view. It is an unconventional idea. The opening contains to little dramatic material to go much anywhere, so the rest of the film much hinge of from it. We meet two characters, receive some development that explains to us these are down on their luck, profane, unrighteous individuals, and are then propelled into the rest of the plot, which basically details the complications of the villain's bad choices.

Once Divinci and Rodriguez learn the identity of the man they brutally killed, they panic. Their first intentions. Since they are the cops assigned to this high pressure case, that they will need to come up with a either a criminal suspect who will plead guilty to their dastardly deed, or frame a crime friendly fellow who can't prove he didn't commit their murder. In the streets they come from, crime and murder is an everyday occurrence, so their plans should work out a-okay...right.

I really liked where the film goes from here: In desperation, Divinci and Rodriguez decide to frame a homeless bum for their murderous crime, played tremendously convincing by Dennis Quaid. The bearded man selected is so out of it, he doesn't even remember his name. So our two incisive corrupters give him a name, plant evidence, explain to him a story which he believes happened, and bribe him to confession.

Characters who enter the story afterward are Cynthia (Lela Rochon), a stripper who is persuaded to lend a deceitful but helping hand to Divinci and Rodriguez, powerful lawyer Arthur Baylor James (Earl Jones), who comes to the rescue of the bum's hopeless defense, and another "lesser" lawyer named Elliot Goff (David Paymer).

"Gang Related" contains a story that is as involving and intriguing as any action picture in the last several years. It uncommonly has unpredictable elements inside. The complication of the conflict are tense and involving as the characters sink themselves into a deeper pit of despair and trouble. But one thing came across my mind as I watched Divinci and Rodriguez work up a taut sweat as they make life or death cover up choices, why don't they just flee the country?

Jim Kouf, who wrote and directed this final film to star the late Tupac Shakur, observes decent performances with the strong dramatic impulse manifested. He holds nothing back, and at times goes over the edge a little in his style of direction. The atmosphere created in "Gang Related" is abrasive, pervasive, and indiscreetly tough. But with such a movie titled "Gang Related," what would you expect?

Brought to you by Orion Pictures.

Good Twists - Worth a Look

[kriisalis · 7/10 · 17 April 2005]

Good movie....has a few twists and turns you don't expect. Both James Belushi & the late Tupac Shakur were well cast in the main roles - especially Belushi - this role being very different from his usual ones.

The only other two cast members that have some grunt in the movie are Lela Rochon and Dennis Quaid. James Earl Jones has an appearance - if only small - but for me I will never be able to disassociate him from the voice we have all come to know as Darth Vader.

Dennis Quaid however does some lime light stealing - but you'll just have to watch it to find out why! Overall good entertainment - may not be everyone's cup of tea - but had me engrossed. In a sense a typical good cops go wrong movie - but one that at least grabs you and sucks you in to watching it to find out what happens next.

I gave it a 7/10.

By the numbers but made more enjoyable by many famous faces and several good performances

[bob the moo · 27 June 2004]

Detectives Divinci and Rodriguez are crooked cops involved in dealing drugs and murdering the competition. When one of their victims turns out to be an undercover DEA agent, they are put on the case to find the murderer. With DEA agent Richard Simms desperate to get the killer, Divinci and Rodriguez realize that they have to frame someone else for the crime. Settling on homeless man 'Joe', they give him drink, get him to sign a statement and falsify the evidence to make a strong enough case to convict.

I had half wanted to see this film for a few years simply because I am keen to take the few chances I have to try see Tupac acting – for me he was the saviour of Poetic Justice and he is much better than the vast majority of the hip hop 'actors' we have seen recently. The plot here is pretty much a standard thriller plot based around two dirty cops and, although it lacks real flair or imagination, it still manages to do its job and be an enjoyable and occasionally quite gritty little thriller. It could have done with a greater sense of tension though, for the majority of the time it merely unfolds as opposed to being fast paced or very exciting but it is still an enjoyable enough little film even if it pretty much goes where you expect it to.

The cast is a big factor in making this film more interesting and making it rise above the other genre films that it will be competing with on the bottom shelf. Belushi has been in more than his fair share of sh*t video thrillers but here he is actually quite good and seems comfortable with material that, although not great, is certainly nowhere near the low level that he is getting used to. In his last film, Tupac is great and he should be a role model for all hip hop stars who want to act – even just in the choice of role he gives a great example – can you imagine many other rappers playing a corrupt cop with as little glamour as Tupac had? Snoop is a fine example, his last few roles have been versions of the caricature he plays in his music and many other rappers do the same – trading on their image rather than acting. Tupac is far from his gangsta image and he delivers a very down to earth performance – as with several other of his films he made this better by his presence. The gorgeous Lela Rochon is given an eye candy role at the start but she is able enough to make a good performance out of it (as well as having a body and looks to die for!). The smaller roles add the feeling of cast depth even if some of them add little else. Quaid for example has so little to do you wonder why he bothered – he feels like he should be a bigger part of the film but he isn't. For the opposite reason Jones, Cole and Paymer are all quite good because they are minor roles and they just feel like quality padding.

Overall this is not a particularly earth shattering thriller but it does its job well enough and I found it pretty enjoyable. A well-known cast certainly helps to make the material rise slightly above the rest of its genre but it is a great performance by Tupac in a different role that made it for me; if only other rappers were less afraid of their image when making role choices then we may not be experiencing a wave of awful blaxploitation films all over again.

Tupac Steps Up His Game

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 27 October 2020]

I'm surprised that I actually liked this movie. Tupac made some good music, but his acting left a lot to be desired. I didn't like "Juice" or "Above the Rim" and I simply tolerated "Poetic Justice." "Gang Related" showed a maturation. I'm not ready to hand Tupac the Oscar, but it was refreshing to see him in a role other than a mere thug.

As for Jim Belushi: he's not high on my list of quality actors either.

Belushi and Tupac play two cops: Frank Divinci and Rodriguez. The movie begins with them killing a guy they just sold drugs to. It was a ruse they set up in order to rob drug dealers. Their plan was to simply brand the murder gang related and be done with it--no one cares about drug dealers and gang bangers anyway right? Well, it turns out that the suspected drug dealer was a DEA agent and the case wasn't going to be so easily dismissed. Now Divinci and Rodriguez needed a patsy to pin the murder on. Divinci thought he hit the jackpot when he found a homeless man (Dennis Quaid) outside his girlfriend's house. He could pin the rap on him, get his GF, Cynthia Watt (Lela Rochon), to be a witness and everything would be OK, right? Wrong!

This tale of police corruption in an anonymous metropolitan city got on one track and didn't fall off. It remained consistent and committed to the plot it latched onto. The two main characters, while corrupt and deserving of any ill-fate that came their way, were still somewhat likeable. A tiny part of me wanted to see the two of them escape their perilous predicament. The movie wasn't incredibly suspenseful, but it was intriguing and able to hold my attention which is much better than a lot of movies.

Best Laid Plans

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 7/10 · 10 August 2017]

When released this film didn't garner much attention. It did decent business at the box office but nothing to brag about. With the passing of Tupac Shakur interest increased and fans clamored for any and all things Tupac. Now the film makes its way to blu-ray courtesy of Olive Video.

Det. Frank Divinci and Det. Rodriguez (James Belushi and Tupac) are two corrupt cops more interested in making money than in doing their jobs. This isn't to say they can't get the job done that they're paid to do, they are good at finding bad guys. But becoming bad guys they find themselves in more trouble than expected.

The two have stolen drugs, sold them, took the money from their mark and then killed him. Who would notice a dead drug dealer, especially if the detectives investigating the killing were these two cops? Problems arise when their latest mark turns out to be an undercover DEA agent.

Given the job of finding the killer the pair come upon a homeless man (Dennis Quaid) and pin the rap on him. They even get Frank's girlfriend (Lela Rochon) to testify that she saw him do it. But their plan starts to unravel on several levels. Rochon begins to have second doubts about what she is doing. Worse yet it turns out that Quaid is actually a wealthy businessman who went missing some years ago. His lawyers turn up to rescue him and with that everything begins to fall apart. As the duo tries to figure out what to do clues to the real killer begin to mount.

What makes the movie interesting is that it is told from their perspective, two corrupt cops as opposed to a mainstream hero trying to solve the mystery. Instead we have the reverse with two killers who have the means to cover their trail easily but who create so many mistakes that their tension over what to do next becomes ours as well.

It's difficult to sympathize with these two main characters but before the movie ends you find yourself wondering if perhaps they will do the right thing. Therein lies much of the tension found in the film. That desire to make atonement for past indiscretions while at the same time knowing it will results in the loss of your freedom and perhaps the loss of your life makes you wonder if either is willing to go through with it. At the same time you wonder if they will indeed get away with it all.

Tupac showed that he had a career ahead of him as an actor with a meaty role like this. He does a fantastic job and is quite believable in the part. It's a shame he never had the opportunity. I've said for years that Belushi was a better actor than people have given him credit for. He started off in the shadow of his older brother John and then was pushed into comedic roles only for a time. His handling of dramatic roles showed he could do both.

While it's nice that Olive has released the film on blu-ray for fans of the film and of Tupac they once again show no effort to present anything but the movie itself. Extras are non-existent. As they move forward let's hope more of their releases see some effort on their part for things that some would enjoy. In the meantime at least the film is offered in a well done format with a nice print to work from. If you enjoy gritty cop dramas then you're bound to enjoy this one.

Emphasis on plot over realism......

[PenOutOfTime · 6/10 · 17 March 2007]

I didn't have very high expectations for this one (partly because I am not terribly keen on James Belushi) but actually, the film was pretty good.

The important thing is to understand the film as a thriller, rather than as a realistic or atmospheric piece. The subject matter and designated environment would point to noir, but the film fails to capture a sense of place or encapsulate an environment and way of life in a way that would justify such a designation. The environment is not actually unrealistic, but again it is not really captured either. Instead, the grit and indeed realism, tends to throw off the viewer, causing him to anticipate a different type of film. "Gang Related" is about plot, and there are a satisfactory number of twists and turns for the viewer. One could easily imagine a movie like this being adapted to the stage.

The acting is generally of a very high standard with strong performances by Shakur and Belushi. The weakness of this film is rather in the fact that the film fails to create or capture a set of especially nuanced characters, and similarly fails to create a strong sense of place. A different director and different cinematography could have done this without substantial alteration. The dramatic twists and turns in the plot also could be considered a weakness, but this would be due to a misunderstanding of the type of story being told, rather than because that story is in itself a bad one.

A gritty crime thriller.

[Brad K. · 9/10 · 28 September 1998]

Gang Related had a great premise, which was enough to get me to want to see it. James Belushi (K-9, Race the Sun) and the late Tupac Shakur (Gridlocked, Poetic Justice) play two corrupt cops. They sell stolen drugs, kill the guy they sold it to, take the drugs & money, and label the crime as gang related. This has worked for the first ten times, but the 11th doesn't. The 11th guy they killed, turned out to be an undercover cop. So the two are put in charge of finding the killer. So knowing that they themselves killed him and could be in huge trouble, they begin to look for possible candidates to take the fall. Eventually they decide on a homeless man, wonderfully played by an unrecognizable Dennis Quaid (Switchback, Dragonheart). They then get Belushi's girlfriend and stripper, Lela Rochon (Waiting to Exhale, The Chamber) to testify against him. Soon though things don't work out as Rochon starts to lose confidence and more evidence comes out about the mysterious homeless man. Belushi and Shakur start to lose their trust and confidence with each other. This is a well-written film with some great dialogue and an awesome ending. James Belushi is great as the mastermind behind the plot and the one who won't give up. Tupac Shakur is just as good (in his final role) as the partner who has at least some sort of a conscience. Rochon is good. Fine support work is turned in by James Earl Jones and David Paymer as Quaid's lawyers. I highly recommend this movie. Rated R: (violence, language, nudity)

Tupac Shakur shines, Lela Rochon whines.

[OHHLA · 7/10 · 17 September 2000]

This movie is guaranteed to appeal to several groups: fans of Tupac Shakur, fans of "Law & Order" style drama, and fans of gritty movies about bad people who do bad things and get their just desserts. The irony of this film is that even though Tupac portrays one of these "bad" people, you end up rooting for him anyway. That is the power of his acting in this film - his character has a moral conscience, and you keep rooting for him to do the right thing - although inevitably it comes much too late. Also, despite Lela Rochon's constant whining through the film, you really do +want+ to find out whether she lives or dies at the end - it's the only thing this film leaves unrevealed.

Middling drama with top-flight cast

[Libretio · 4/10 · 8 January 2005]

GANG RELATED

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Sound format: DTS

James Belushi lifted himself out of his career doldrums just long enough to appear in this hard-bitten cop thriller alongside gangsta rapper Tupac Shakur, wherein they play rogue cops who supplement their income by murdering drug dealers and stealing their cash, passing off each crime as 'gang related' incidents. However, this nasty little scam goes pear-shaped when their latest victim (Gregory Scott Cummins) turns out to be an undercover DEA agent, and the guy on whom they try to pin the blame - an alcoholic vagrant (Dennis Quaid) - turns out to have a secret identity of his own. Then things become REALLY unpleasant...

Writer-director Jim Kouf and cinematographer Brian J. Reynolds make little use of the widescreen format, but the film's lack of visual style is somewhat redeemed by its breakneck pace and impressive performances, most notably Belushi and Shakur in dark, multi-faceted roles, and Lela Rochon as their former accomplice, a frightened stripper whose involvement in Belushi's criminal misdeeds places her in mortal jeopardy. James Earl Jones is the famous defence attorney who takes up Quaid's case as soon as the latter's identity is confirmed, and a gaunt-looking Gary Cole provides solid back-up as a dedicated DEA agent determined to nail those responsible for Cummins' death. There's also a pretty fine twist in the tale, in which one of the characters gets what he/she richly deserves, though the wrap-up is perhaps a little too neat for its own good.

Sadly, the movie is dedicated to the memory of Shakur, who was shot and killed in a drive-by incident during the film's post-production process; on this evidence, he was clearly a natural actor and had the makings of a major Hollywood star.

Great film

[NBK-2 · 9/10 · 3 January 1999]

I really didn't want to rent this film, but one of my friends, PA(nick-name)who was a big fan of Tupac Shakur talked me into it. I am glad he did, because this was one of the best films of 1998. James Belushi was great in this film, and so was Shakur and Lela Rochon. James Earl Jones appears in a little role in the last 40 minutes of the film.He was great, too. However, the film is about two corrupt cops who sell drugs, then they kill

the buyer and steal the drugs and everything else of value on him. It had worked 10 times. But unfortunately the 11th time(The one we saw) goes wrong.The buyer was a undercover-cop and they has been set to do the investigation.Now the film really starts. The two cops now start looking for someone to blame, and a

homeless man named Tom looks like an easy target. The rest you can see for yourself.You really should. The movie is Great

I gave it 9/10!

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT GRIPPING COP THRILLER

[lukem-52760 · 7/10 · 19 November 2020]

The 90's what a time & my era for growing up & into movies & music & 2pac was already a legend before his tragic death & was establishing himself as a very good solid actor & was really good in Juice & Gridlocked & Poetic Justice to name a few but his best performance in my opinion comes from this superb gritty urban Cop Thriller "Gang Related" as he takes on the more likable & more toned down role of LA Detective Rodriguez who with his more cunning & edgier Partner Detective Divinci played superbly by the excellent James Belushi, as they both go about setting up street scum like Drug dealers for example & make drugs deal with then & then shoot'em & make it look like a "Gang Related" shooting & it's a clever idea to take out the scum & get big cash off the scam but one night their scam goes so wrong when they accidentally kill an undercover DEA Agent & the pressure builds like a boiling pot ready to explode as they the two Cops have to cover their tracks & try to set up a criminal for the murder. That's the basic plot for this excellent almost Noir style Cop Thriller with plenty of twists & unexpected turns & a superb ensemble cast of talent such as the legendary James Earl Jones & the great Dennis Quaid who gives a very good surprising performance here & a terrifically intense performance from Lela Rechon & even a nice little role for the always enjoyable character actor JAMES HANDY, now Handy plays the police Captain & Boss of Pac's & Belushi's Cops, the Cool thing about Handy here is he played the police Captain of Jim Belushi in both his K-9 cop flicks so it's a nice touch having playing his boss again here & he's a fine actor too. This is masterfully directed & full of suspenseful scenes & as the pressure builds our two Cops are put to the test of loyalty & we're treated to so many moments that go from worse to worse for these guys & you're on the edge of the seat wandering how they are going to get out of this situation & will they get found out? Exciting & thrilling stuff.

The music score is excellent & almost primal in a "Predator" type of feel to it & it's one of the best scores I've ever heard in a Cop Thriller & not to mention to excellent rap songs from Tupac himself that gives the film it's time Capsule feel of 90's urban movies & the greatest time for Rap music. The look & cinematography is beautiful in it's gritty rawness of the graffiti covered streets & wet & smokey night time scenes & the sweaty hot days it's captured a dangerous feeling underbelly feel of LA abit like what Predator 2 did. Jim Belushi gives probably his greatest "Serious" or "Dramatic" performance of his long & varied Career, now i love Jim Belushi & grew up watching Red Heat, K-9 & K-911, Gang Related & more, Belushi is hilarious at comedy & his Cop Classic's K-9 & Red Heat are two of my all time favourite films that i grew up watching & loving. Here Belushi gives it his all as a great actor & gives us his funny & charming personality we're used to & love him for but also brings a darker side that's dangerous & extremely cunning & sleazy & he's magnificent to watch & works so well with the talented Tupac & both have that chemistry like they've known each other for years!!!

Gang Related is a cracking Cop Thriller that's drenched in style & suspense with two excellent lead performances & a fantastic soundtrack. Pure 90's magnetic movie making. R.I.P 2PAC

Solid performances, but flawed screenplay

[ginocox-206-336968 · 5/10 · 27 July 2016]

"Gang Related" is a passable diversion, if one doesn't take it too seriously. The performances are solid, with a stellar cast. Technical aspects are more than adequate, with a refreshing lack of jiggly-cam shots.

The script offers some reasonably interesting three-dimensional characters. Dialogue is decent and the plot has a few satisfyingly unexpected twists. However, the script is also very weak in several areas. It attempts to intricately interweave the subplots and characters, but relies too heavily on coincidences. This is especially evident in the closing scenes. It's weak on police procedures, particularly regarding chain of custody, which is a key element. Motivations don't always make sense. At one point, an undercover investigator makes a drug buy, apparently with unmarked bills, without any backup, then leaves without putting the drugs in an evidence pouch and doesn't arrest the sellers or attempt to follow them or anything. At another point, somebody who supposedly has a hundred thousand dollars in cash socked away, needs to steal a few hundred dollars.

The top-notch cast deserved a better screenplay.

A solid noir

[Ricky-1 · 7 May 2000]

This is a solid noir movie with outstanding performances from Jim Belushi and Tupac Shakur, but the thing I've appreciated most is the history , and the ending too is so different from the average of this kind of movies. Belushi is so convincing, he is nearly perfect in his part ( the corrupted cop ) and there is Gary Cole too in a little part. But, again, the best of this movie is the history, that evolves so surprising and unexpected.

You've got to love this movie when you're a Tupac fan!

[lucaesthetics · 7/10 · 7 December 2013]

I'm a big fan of Tupac Shakur and listen to his music a lot. One thing is for sure, and that's that he is one of the best rappers ever. I was starting to become curious if his acting was as good as his rapping so I wanted to watch this movie. At first, I dind't really expect much from it but it turned out to be a really good movie instead!

Tupac plays as a street thug/criminal in most his movies except for this one where he plays as a police officer. This adds what I personally think, a very nice twist to the movie.

Tupac and James argue a lot because their opinions differ pretty much, this is what actually makes the movie funny in a way. The movie can be very unpredictable in some moments too.

I really recommend this movie to the people who like movies from the Crime genre and of course to Tupac fans like me.

A buddy-cop flick with a great twist!

[deanmartin96 · 7/10 · 1 July 2013]

This is a good thriller with a noir feel in it. Tupac gave a great performance as well as Belushi (we can see Belushi doing a different performance than in his other movies). They made a great duo. Dennis Quaid and James Earl Jones were excellent.

Belushi and Tupac are crooked cops who sell drugs and then kill the guy they sold it to, and mark the murder gang related. The drugs and weapons they use are all evidences from previous cases. The first ten times everything goes smoothly but eleventh time it does not.

I gave it 7/10. Good dialogue and main characters, good story and great twists!

Worth watching!

Better than expected

[AKS-6 · 6/10 · 20 December 2000]

Gang Related is a much better film than I expected. Sure, it's never going to make my Top 100 movies-list, but it's good entertainment for about 1,5 hours. The last scene, though, really takes it too far, and it's kind of sad since the ending is so important in a movie. It's basically a somewhat ridiculous ending.

Tupac Shakur was an okay actor and he was good in Gang Related which sadly (as everyone already knows) turned out to be his last film.

Good film. (6/10)

Great Movie ! Except ....

[ryanrall · 6/10 · 21 March 2021]

Like I said, great movie ! Great production value, great actors , I mean Belushi, James Earl Jones,Gary Cole,Tupac,all great ! Great story & a really great ending ! The only thing that drags this movie down a bit is Tupac's Character Det.Rodriguez CONSTANT Pissing & Moaning through the whole entire movie ! I mean for a crooked cop you'd think he'd be a little more hard-core than that. Watching Belushi & Tupac argue reminds you of a married couple ! I had to keep fast forwarding,it was annoying !

Other than that ,Great Movie.

An Ensemble Police Procedural Thriller With Lots of Surprises

[zardoz-13 · 8/10 · 2 May 2009]

Everything that can go wrong does go wrong for a couple of corrupt homicide cops in "Disorganized Crime" director Jim Kouf's "Gang Related," an ensemble police procedural thriller that springs one startling surprise after another on its unsuspecting audience. This above-average but unsavory chronicle of a crime coming unraveled boasts a talented cast in a heavyweight tragicomedy of errors. What elevates "Gang Related" several notches above the ordinary gangsta epic is the film's old-fashioned portrayal of good and evil in a morally ordered universe where everybody must atone for their sins. The filmmakers have borrowed elements as diverse as O'Henry's classic comeuppance storytelling style and combined it with bits and pieces from big-budgeted movies such as William Friedkin's "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985) and Joseph Ruben's "Money Train" (1995). Indeed, Kouf's accomplished piece of film-making looks like the flip side of Peter Hyams' buddy cop movie "Running Scared" with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines, although the cops that Crystal and Hines played were good guys to the core.

The characters in "Gang Related" serve as the pawns of a serpentine plot. None of them exert control over what transpires and the irony of this isn't lost on audiences. Few ensemble movies reach the big screen anymore, so this proves both surprising and gratifying to see such a polished effort like this one. Writer & director Jim Kouf produced a similar saga with his 1989 crime spoof "Disorganized Crime." Everything went awry for a gang of thieves in "Disorganized Crime." In "Gang Related," everything goes awry, too, but for the police. The chief difference is that Kouf plays it straight right down the line. Although the parable teeters at times on travesty, Kouf never shifts the accent to buffoonery. You know something is different, too, when a couple marquee stars shows up in minor of crucial roles. You can barely recognize Dennis Quaid at first as a remorseful derelict and James Earl Jones's arrival occurs straight out of the blue.

As Detective Frank DaVinci and Rodriguez, James Belushi and Tupac Shakur create a credibly chummy chemistry. Arguing that drug dealers constitute the scum of society, they set them up for buys, knock them off, and then attribute the murders to gangs. They have iced nine drug dealers with this reliable method of operation, using narcotics secretly liberated then later returned to the police evidence room. DaVinci and Rodriguez get the shock of their lives when they learn that their latest victim, Lionel Hudd (Kool Moe Dee of "Panther"), was an undercover D.E.A. agent. Moreover, Hudd's superior, Agent Richard Simms (Gary Cole), is determined to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of Hudd's murder and applies a lot of heat on the L.A.P.D. to find a suspect. Neither detective wants to confess to the crime so they search for a patsy. Several patsies don't pan out because they have iron-clad alibis, but this doesn't stop our unscrupulous protagonists from trying to set them up. They bring them into an interrogation room and slide the murder weapon across the desk at them and these poor fools catch the gun and wind up handling. One examines the revolver in detail and then cleverly wipes it clean and sends it sliding back at the cops. Eventually, DaVinci settles on a street bum. No sooner has Joe Doe (Dennis Quaid of "The Rookie") been arrested than it turns out that he is a rich man thought dead for seven years. It seems that William Daine McCall, son of the founder of a major telecommunication corporation, was a celebrated surgeon who stepped out on his wife with a nurse. An argument between McCall and his wife prompted her to fly into hysterics, enough so to take their two kids and leave their home. Tragically, about a mile from home, the wife and children died in a car accident and McCall goes on a bender. Meanwhile, things keep getting worse for our protagonists. They enlist the aid of a stripper named Cynthia Webb (Lela Rochon of "Waiting to Exhale") as an eyewitness. It seems that DaVinci is banging her on the side when he is sleeping with his wife. Cynthia buckles in court, however, when defense attorney Arthur Baylor (James Earl Jones of "Clean Slate") tears up her contrived story under careful cross-examination, and she admits to perjury. Pretty soon the relationship between DaVinci and Rodriguez begins to deteriorate because Rodriguez lacks DaVinci's cold, calculating nerve to kill people without a qualm.

James Belushi of "Mr. Destiny" plays an out-and-out villain here in a change-of-pace casting. He invests his character with more depth than you would normally associate with him. At times, his performance is so charismatic that you want evil to triumph. In his final screen appearance, the late rapper Tupac Shakur shows that his artistry will be missed as much by music enthusiasts as moviegoers.

Writer & director Jim Kouf has breathed new life into a routine plot by standing it on its head. Half of the fun of "Gang Related" is watching DaVinci and Rodriguez dig themselves deeper the more that they try to dig themselves out of disaster. Usually, in a movie like "Gang Related," the heroes are the guys who are in trouble, but neither DaVinci nor Rodriguez qualify as heroes. They only character with any shred of integrity here is Cynthia. When she commits perjury, she refuses to divulge the identities of her cohorts. That's what makes Kouf's police thriller different and that difference might alienate orthodox crime movie junkies who need a hero to cheer.

Crime drama yes, but funny too!

[ajwinslow-1 · 7/10 · 28 December 2018]

Great classic flick with an original plot that I haven't seen before or since. Lots of twists and surprises. Tupac's last movie. Also has James Belushi, Dennis Quaid, David Paymor and James Earl Jones. Well worth the time to watch it!

Confuse the witness.......

[FlashCallahan · 4/10 · 5 November 2011]

Two corrupt cops murder an undercover DEA agent by mistake, and frantically try to cover their tracks by framing a homeless man for the crime.

That involves juggling evidence, coaching witnesses, and improvising to keep their desperate scheme from unravelling...

James Belushi should stick to comedy, or be a comedy sidekick. There is a lot of talk of Tupac becoming a great 'actor', and while he is okay in this, there is nothing to show he could have been the next big thing.

The way rappers or 'hip hop stars' do in movies, i'm sure he'd be concentrating on his music, or making straight to blu ray movies with Snipes.

The premise of this film is so so good, and has great potential, that it's such a shame it's treated in such a hap-hazard way.

Belushi is unbelievable as a dirty cop, and i was expecting Jerry Lee to come to his rescue.

There are the inevitable double crosses and the predictable ending. It tries to be like a gritty seventies cop movie, but ends up dreary and boring.

Quaid is the saving grace in this movie, and his character is the most interesting arc in the whole movie. It's a shame he's not in it longer.

Can these two do anything right?

[RueMorgue · 8/10 · 1 June 2000]

This movie is not too bad, once you get past the fact that it stars TuPac Shakur... I mean, after Poetic Justice, did anybody think he could act? I sure didn't. He was a great artist, but acting wasn't his forte. Actually, to be honest, I didn't expect great things after seeing Poetic Justice, but he wasn't too bad in this movie after all.

However, when watching this movie, the question I kept asking myself was, "How can these two fools make this situation any worse?" In fact, I think that's what makes this film work. I spent most of my time waiting to see what kind of crazy coincidence would pop up next. The film certainly doesn't disappoint if you like plot twists, even if you can see them a mile away.

Overall, this is a pretty good drama about corrupt cops. I recommend it for a Saturday afternoon when there's nothing fantastic on TV, or for a Sunday if you aren't a football or racing fanatic. Just don't waste your money on it for a Friday night, you should be watching new releases on Fridays.

My Rating: 8/10

A story about 2 bad cops trying to get away with murder...

[imseeg · 7/10 · 18 July 2022]

I didnt know this was the last picture of Tupac Shakur, because he got shot five times before this movie was released. Tupac Shakur was a promising actor, but first most an enigmatic rapper.

This movie is not anything special, it is simply another dirty cop movie, with 2 great actors starring in a predictable story. It's not heavy drama, nor is it an action packed cop movie, it is something in between.

It'll do for those who like these kind of dirty cop movies. Not the best, not the worst...

This movie was alright

[eduderocks182 · 5/10 · 18 March 2015]

I thought this movie was OK. I watched it thinking it would be really good because it has an interesting storyline but when I actually watched it I was a bit bored at some parts. I enjoyed some parts of the film but I expected too much. Tupac and James belushi were very good in it but I still didn't think it was great. I wish Tupacs last movie could have been better. I thought the court scenes were a bit boring but the killing scenes were pretty good. I like the way in this movie Tupac is the one who doesn't want to kill people or do bad things for once. I enjoyed some parts of the film but other parts were a bit boring